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anarchotolkienist · 11 months ago

Note

you’re attacking that neopagan kind of birthstone post about druid plants, but could you please elaborate or at least clarify the explicit trope that is being used that has been historically weaponized?

I used to spend about a good third of my time on this godforsaken website attacking that idea, but sure, I'll do it again. This will be a bit of an effortpost, so I'll stick it under the readmore

There is a notion of 'celts' or Gaels as being magicial and somehow deeply in touch with nature and connected to pre-Christian worldviews that the people who decided to make up the "Celtic tree astrology" used. This is also why Buffy used Irish Gaelic as the language of the demons, why Warhammer uses Gaelic as Elvish, why garbled Scottish Gaelic is used by Wiccans as the basis for their new religious construct, why people call themselves Druids to go an say chants in bad Welsh in Stonehenge, or Tursachan Chalanais, or wherever, etc etc. This stuff is everywhere in popular culture today, by far the dominant view of Celtic language speaking peoples. Made up neopagan nonsense is the only thing you find if you go looking for Gaelic folklore, unless you know where to look, and so on and so on. I could multiply examples Endless, and in fact have throughout the lifespan of this blog, and probably will continue to.

To make a long history extremely brief (you can ask me for sources on specifics, or ask me to expand if you're interested), this is directly rooted in a mediaeval legalistic discussion in Catholic justifications for the expansionist policies of the Normans, especially in Ireland, who against the vigourous protestation of the Church in Ireland claimed that the Gaelic Irish were practically Pagan in practice and that conquest against fellow Christians was justified to bring them in like with the Church. That this was nonsense I hope I don't need to state. Similar discourses about the Gaels in Scotland exist at the same time, as is clear from the earliest sources we have postdating the Gaelic kingdom of Alba becoming Scotland discussing the 'coastal Scots' - who speak Ynglis (early Scots) and are civilised - and the 'forest Scots' (who speak 'Scottis' (Middle Gaelic) and have all the hallmarks of barbarity. This discourse of Gaelic savagery remains in place fairly unchanged as the Scottish and then British crowns try various methods for integrating Gaeldom under the developing early state, provoking constant conflict and unrest, support certain clans and chiefs against others and generally massively upset and destabilise life among the Gaels both in Scotland and Ireland. This campaign, which is material in root but has a superstructure of Gaelic savagery and threat justifying it develops through attempts at assimilation, more or less failed colonial schemes in Leòdhas and Ìle, the splitting of the Gaelic Irish from the Gaelic Scots through legal means and the genocide of the Irish Gaels in Ulster, eventually culminates in the total ban on Gaelic culture, ethnic cleansing and permanent military occupation of large swathes of Northern Scotland, and the destruction of the clan system and therefore of Gaelic independence from the Scottish and British state, following the last rising in 1745-6.

What's relevant here is that the attitude of Gaelic barbarity, standing lower on the civilisational ladder than the Anglo Saxons of the Lowlands and of England, was continuously present as a justification for all these things. This package included associations with the natural world, with paganisms, with emotion, and etc. This set of things then become picked up on by the developing antiquarian movement and early national romantics of the 18th century, when the Gaels stop being a serious military threat to the comfortable lives of the Anglo nobility and developing bourgeoise who ran the state following the ethnic cleansing after Culloden and permanent occupation of the Highlands (again, ongoing to this day). They could then, as happened with other colonised peoples, be picked up on and romanticised instead, made into a noble savage, these perceived traits which before had made them undesirable now making them a sad but romantic relic of an inexorably disappearing past. It is no surprise that Sir Walter Scott (a curse upon him and all his kin) could make Gaels the romantic leads of his pseudohistorical epics at the exact same time that Gaels were being driven from their traditional lands in their millions and lost all traditional land rights. These moves are related. This tradition is what's picked up on by Gardner when he decides to use mangled versions of Gaelic Catholic practice (primarily) as collected by the Gaelic folklorist Alasdair MacIlleMhìcheil as the coating for Wicca, the most influential neo-pagan "religion" to claim a 'Celtic' root and the base of a lot of oncoming nonsense like that Celtic Tree Astrology horseshit that started this whole thing, and give it a pagan coat of paint while also adding some half-understood Dharmic concepts (three-fold law anyone?) and a spice of deeply racist Western Esotericism to the mix. That's why shit like that is directly harmful, not just historically but in the present total blotting out of actually existing culture of Celtic language speakers and their extremely precarious communities today.

If you want to read more, I especially recommend Dr. Silke Stroh's work Gaelic Scotland in the Colonial Imaginary, Dr. Aonghas MacCoinnich's book Plantation and Civility in the North-Atlantic World, the edited collection Mio-rún Mór nan Gall on Lowland-Highland divide, the Gaelic writer known in English as Ian Crichton Smith's essay A real people in a real place on these impacts on Gaelic speaking communities in the 20th century, Dr. Donnchadh Sneddons essay on Gaelic racial ideas present in Howard and Lovecrafts writings, and Dr. James Hunter's The Making of the Crofting Community for a focus on the clearings of Gaels after the land thefts of the late 18th and early 19th century.

@grimdr an do chaill mi dad cudromach, an canadh tu?

#gaelposting #hope this is even vaguely readable lol

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eyeballplanets · 12 days ago

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The Viltrumite Empire and Interactions of Racialization in Invincible

(This essay is just under 4k words. I hope you enjoy!)

The animated series Invincible presents the Viltrumite empire in the fantastical tone and symbols expected of space-faring superhumans bent on incorporating a planet of superheroes into the imperial fold of an interstellar empire. Conferred with this imagery is the language of racialized conflict, particularly observed where race is encoded in the subordinating process of building and enforcing the state and the other metonymic structures, such as the family, or the military. This is made most apparent in the climax of the first season, in which Mark Grayson, the child of a Korean-American woman and a Viltrumite who appears and is received as a white man on Earth, resists his father’s attempt at initiating him into the empire, first with appeals to Mark’s ideals as a hero, then by invoking Mark’s Viltrumite heritage as an irrefutable and essential characteristic that must consequently ingratiate him to the empire. Mark refuses this induction, and is nearly killed for it, as Nolan continually evokes his mother in concert with his chosen affiliation with Earth and a presumed weakness which he states is consequential of this bilocation.

This reception is not limited to Mark’s conflict with Nolan: rather, the ineluctability of the racially coded imagery in this conflict draws attention to the other interactions of racialization throughout the series, as white characters and characters of color each play out hegemonic dynamics during physical and verbal conflict. If Nolan’s paternalistic didacticism can be read as his attempt at coercively situating his racialized son with whiteness, then meaningful discursive gestures toward western chauvinism’s enforcement and treatment of its racialized subjects can be gleaned from his other interactions with explicit visual racialization, such as his asymmetrical methods of attacking the Guardians and his attempt at engendering hesitation in Mark toward Titan’s plight. The variance in the outcomes and presentations of these interactions can be read in other Viltrumite characters, including Mark’s attempt at evoking this paternal connection at Darkwing II and Angstrom Levy and the references to the narratives codifying castle doctrine, the symmetry between Nolan’s treatment of Debbie and Mark’s treatment of Amber, Lucan and Anissa’s contrasting attempts at offering assimilation, the latter Viltrumite’s idiosyncratic place of subordination within this hierarchy, and Conquest’s thorough brutalization of Mark as a dissident colonized body within the Viltrumite schema of identity.

This essay does not engage with the comic. The two works are separate (as stated by the showrunner, and as observed in the construction of these themes): nearly all of the racial substance read in the piece is original to the show. It succeeds where the comic wholly fails; or, the show’s writing team is correcting for the many missteps in the comic.

It is also worth mentioning that although there is meaningful discourse to be gleaned from the Viltrumite’s perception of their fantastical victims and subjects, this piece focuses on the deliberate presentation of race through the skin color of the human and Viltrumite characters. That is, their appearances are not incidental, and similar ideas can be found according to the identities that these characters inhabit.

The disparity in Nolan’s slaughter of the Guardians reflects the racialized lens through which he views the team, partially intricated in the Viltrumite perception of strength. Before the ambush begins, the signal by which he draws the Guardians is presumed to have originated from Darkwing, a Black man notably solitary and removed from the rest of the guardians, sufficiently enigmatic that the anomaly of his signal is immediately seen as cause for concern. In the fight itself, Darkwing and Alana—the newest to carry the legacy mantle of Green Ghost—are among the very first to die, Nolan predicting Darkwing’s attack from above and striking Alana where she keeps the stone that gives the bearer of the Green Ghost mantle their powers, ending that heroic lineage. In each case, Nolan’s victory required personal scrutiny of his respective targets: he expects Darkwing’s attack from behind, and knows that Alana’s inexperience and kindness would immobilize her upon seeing his gruesome death, therefore opening her up to an attack that her powers would have otherwise avoided, specifically targeting the placement of the stone, the artifact itself nor its location obvious at a glance.

By contrast, Immortal received no such scrutiny. Nolan kills him as Viltrumite executioners kill their prisoners, with a bladed palm to the neck. Nolan’s failure to predict Immortal’s resurrection ultimately leads to the clash that reveals the extent of his cruelty to his son, who therebefore assumed Nolan to be victimized by the Global Defense Agency. That is, Nolan’s inability to foretell these powers puts him at a disadvantage, a blind spot in his analysis of the team’s strengths that stands out from the aforementioned victims. Nolan had treated Immortal like a Viltrumite, in neither of their conflicts incorporating any of the analytical techniques by which he defeated Darkwing or Green Ghost—the alternate universe presented in the next season’s premiere goes further to reveal that it would only be upon a third altercation that Nolan would understand how to prevent his subsequent revival. Immortal does not elicit the suspicion and analysis that each led to Darkwing and Alana’s deaths; Nolan assumes, in both cases, that the two were governed under the same rules, just as Immortal was jealous of Nolan’s strength and speed. These two older white men each display competing, alike white masculinities.

Nolan’s perceiving white heroes possessing abilities like his own as defective Viltrumites is shared and reinforced with dismissal of Red Rush’s speed: “He can run fast” said of a man most effective in resisting his assault enminds the same masculine bravado that permeates Nolan’s taunts in his fights against the Immortal, Mark, and the Viltrumite Vidor. Nolan, too, relies on speed: his ability to cross the oceans in minutes is incorporated into his specific performance of domesticity with Debbie, traveling to foreign cafés, wineries, and restaurants in these rituals of romanticized exoticism, a palatable otherness that stands in contrast to Red Rush’s status as a Russian in an otherwise American team.

Nolan’s second evocation of racialized perception takes the focus away from the physical domination of the first, placing the locus of subtext instead in the house, where he leverages his expertise to dissuade Mark from a heroism explicitly aligned with the racialized characters of Debbie and Titan. The locality here illustrates the intersecting frameworks, the hierarchy of the family made commensurate to their respective engagement with the metaphysical spectacle that saturates their lives. Superheroic and domestic dynamics are unified, as Nolan speaks with a superiority and seniority contingent on his experience as an accomplished hero and on his position as the head of the family. The dinner table becomes a theater of physical, as well as political, power differentials. Nolan is the global juggernaut and the father; Mark is the novice hero and the son; Debbie is the civilian and the wife whom Nolan renders naïve and overly defined by pathos.

Nolan and Debbie’s perception of heroism tangibly diverge here, as Nolan insists that Mark use his strength for globalized conflicts, appealing to the scale of astronomical natural disasters, envisaging a heroic placelessness divorced of localized and politicized context, and Debbie encourages Mark to help Titan, whose sphere of influence is neither enclosed within the house nor expanded to the planet, instead focusing on a neighborhood and community steeped in economic exploitation, his family attending the very same recreation center at which Amber volunteers. Titan explicitly delineates his and Mark’s emotive relations to the disenfranchisement occurring in his community on the basis of their respective cultural ubiety: without any explicit context for Mark’s identity outside of the mantle, he correctly assumes Mark’s suburban upbringing based on his observable dislocation from such spaces in the scale of his heroism. The racialized impermeability of the house is observed in Nolan’s insistence that Mark keep his focus to global and spacial contexts, and in Titan’s understanding that such patterns would incline Mark to withhold assistance.

Revisiting the fight in the finale, Nolan’s brutal punishment for Mark’s refusal to enable Viltrumite imperialism is conveyed to the audience through two complementary thematic channels: the colorful world of superheroes which Mark was eager to join, a unique expression of this would-be colony, and the structure of the house, with Debbie inside as this possessed fulcrum around which their family is balanced. Nolan’s gestures toward these make evident his attempt to twist them into conduits for Viltrumite ideology, but where one fails, exposing Mark to the language that inspires him to resist, the other lingers, perfusing Mark’s conflict and philosophy through the second season.

During this fight, Mark frequently appeals to the first as a pacifying force in contrast to Nolan’s brutality. Notably, assumes that Nolan is brainwashed, a familiar narrative tool to display the dangerous potential a hero may possess while removing them from moral fault, a staple of the genre which the Maulers reference in the same episode, as they fail to do the same to Immortal. Indeed, Nolan’s training Mark was steeped in the conventions of the genre, each undercut with precepts of Viltrumite hegemony: saving the world from an asteroid reflects the lone agent making decisions for a planet without agency; dropping a villain to force a confession reflects the use of fear as a coercive tool; even striking Mark to test his strength reflects, at its simplest, the might makes right mentality that undercuts all Viltrumite doctrine. “I was wrong to raise you like them” makes this explicit, reflecting Nolan’s efforts to translocate the ideology of the empire onto the visual language of the superheroes. However, Nolan’s method of indoctrination instead develops in Mark the ideology to resist him. As superheroes are posited as a unique reflection of Earth—in contrast to Viltrumite and Coalition agents, who possess similar powers but are removed from the genre’s language—this language belongs to the potentially colonized, and with Debbie providing prominent pushes toward this methodology, the racialized.

This appeal to Debbie, as stated before, is not limited to the implicit. Nolan and Mark each structure their arguments around coordinate, enmeshed frameworks, exalting Debbie and the house as paired metonyms for their respective ideology: where Mark posits her as the supposed basis of their heroism, this drive to protect others and a glue for the house, Nolan renders this language more explicitly possessive, positing her as a “pet,” something dear yet ephemeral and without agency. Where Mark was born into the house, and has only known the house, even where characters like Titan illustrate it as stifling, Nolan adopted the house as synecdoche for the coercive structure of the empire. The agent of a vast empire has subsumed this racialized woman of this potential colony by adopting patterns and rituals that she would recognize. The physical ideology of the Viltrum Empire serves to strengthen the references to the western hegemony which codifies this bodily ownership. He recognized the house as a suitable vessel for his control, and by extension, Viltrumite control.

Even after Nolan’s departure, the house remains a vehicle for structuralized, and specifically racialized violence, wherein Debbie and Mark remain and Oliver is inducted. Invincible’s second season presents Nolan’s promise of subsumption into the Viltrumite empire, and the consequent aspirational whiteness, as lingering, contraposed conflicts casting Mark as at once a racialized subject of violence and a perpetrator of racialized interactions, viewed through a lens of fatherhood and the house. At once, the offer is an act of violence, an ideological and personal violation of Mark’s identity as it is rooted in humanity and racialization, and a threat, a gesture either deliberate or situational toward the imperial conquest of the Viltrumite Empire.

Mark first leverages the reputation of his father against Darkwing after spending the duration of their brief conflict denying any emotive or ideological connection to his father’s violence. His attitude suddenly departs from his typical insistence that he does not share his father’s cruelty, a belief he continues to espouse for nearly the rest of the season. It is when Darkwing takes him outside of Cecil’s hearing, in this fantastical realm that GDA surveillance cannot penetrate, that Mark invokes his father, and attributes violence to this descent. “Like you said—I’m Omni-Man’s son. You have no idea what I’m capable of�� is Mark’s attempt at conveying an intrinsic, or at least deeply internalized, violence. It frames his typical separation from his father as an active process of restraining a brutality that he only lets slip once more in this season.

Mark’s connection to his father orbits the four physical conflicts between this threat and Angstrom’s confrontation, where it emerges again. Lucan vocally doubts Mark’s similarities to his father; Mark refuses to kill Thula before his father defeats her in his place; Mark aids the Guardians against the sequids to reject his father’s isolationism; and Mark refuses Anissa’s implication that accepting his place in the Empire is inevitable. Where Mark implicitly or explicitly distances himself from Nolan in those conflicts, Angstrom’s arrival at his house compels Mark to summon this imagery. The Black man entering the suburban house leads to an evocative anger Mark has never displayed before, nor since. “Stop threatening my family” renders the house as the origin of this rage, and Mark’s savage beatdown draws attention to Nolan’s brutality against him months earlier. The blows of the father, the superheroic paragon, the imperial agent, brought to bear against this man, again removed from the observation and thus judgment of others. “You have no idea what I’ve been through—how much I’ve been holding back” compares this instance of brutality to his threat against Darkwing, now expressing what he before merely indicated. Mark feels wrongly condemned, and protective of his mother. The anger he metes against Angstrom is filtered through Angstrom’s many instances of surviving Viltrumite subjugation, Mark’s acknowledgment that his father’s anger is imperial and fascist anger, and Debbie’s place as this presumed perpetual victim. It is, in all these context, racialized: the Black man who survived imperial occupation, the son wielding his white father’s anger, the Asian woman reduced to an object. As Mark steps into Nolan’s ideology, he elevates himself to the vengeful father, and reduces Angstrom and Debbie to existential children, disobedient and hapless, respectively.

This emotional expulsion immediately frightens Mark, and he comes to identify his anger’s semblance with Nolan’s. This marks the second time he realizes that this paternally-coded urge to protect a racialized woman from a racialized outside is part and parcel for the hegemonic cruelty that his father embodied: it was the impetus for his and Amber’s breakup. As she describes her lack of agency bound in her inability to defend herself against Mark’s enemies, Mark realizes that his instinctual desire to kill Anissa is not a valorized display of protectiveness, but indicative of the same mentalities that constituted his father’s brutality. He further reflects an understanding of this racialization: what he has done to Amber for months, Nolan had done to Debbie for years. The expectation for Debbie to be metaphysically inferior was a violation, as worth describing as the implicit physicalized threats prior to his departure. Even removed from the optics of superheroism, Nolan’s position as the physically eminent head of the house was violent.

Invincible’s second season therefore thrice depicts Black characters as victims of castle doctrine, the violent codification of the house, in turn a synecdochal reflection of the state, that reinforces and benefits whiteness; notably, each time this allusion is specifically accompanied by visual and verbal reference to Nolan Grayson in his role as an embodiment of imperial violence. That is, in contrast to other works, in which the anti-Black violence intrinsic to castle doctrine is a covert or unexamined byproduct of the author’s reification of the sanctity of the white family unit, Invincible makes clear that this is a harmful act of coercion and possession, monopolizing violence upon racialized subjects.

Mark’s appeal to Nolan’s power and authority are imbued with gestures to the higher colonial power which he represented, therefore lending this subjugation an imperialized emphasis. However, the question of Mark’s identity, indeed whether he can be compelled to assimilate fully into the empire and abandon any significant affiliation with Earth, pervades his conflicts with the Viltrumites, each of whom adduce it jointly with their physicality. That is, despite Mark’s ability to wield racialized and colonized violence in his father’s image, the Empire always casts him as defective agent and dissident subject.

Lucan, though visually racialized, is given the same treatment as other members of the imperial core. This is illustrated after the conclusion of the battle on Thraxa, whereupon Mark watches Viltrumites agents medevac Lucan and Nolan, where Kregg evaluates Mark’s worthiness on the basis of his ability to survive grievous injuries. Mark has to survive first, where he grants the soldiers immediate and equal medical attention. Furthermore, the ease with which he overpowers Mark and the brevity of their interaction better places the tone of his offer of assimilation into a gendered context: Mark’s identity is doubted on the basis of his physical strength, rather than ideology.

However, Anissa’s discourse with Mark demonstrates that she shares his metaphysical interposition: she is neither the white men who render racialized violence unto Mark nor the Black characters upon whom Mark metes racialized violence. This is twice made explicit: at the end of the season, Mark remembers Nolan, Cecil, and General Kregg’s words in sequence as resonant gestures to his and his father’s ideological resemblance, yet forecloses Anissa from this recollection, despite the inevitability of his identity saturating their conversation; after the fight, as Mark consoles Amber, he tells her “I wanted to kill her for putting a hand on you,” and describes this reaction as a source of shame, an emotional agony painted in the rhetoric of castle doctrine which Nolan wielded with Debbie as victim and which Mark would later wield against Angstrom. Though she invokes his identity, and evokes his racializing anger, she receives neither the traumatic reflection nor the force of this protective rage, collocating them in equivalent racial contexts, between these endpoints of subjugator and subjugated.

Kregg chastises Anissa upon her return to his ship, in an act that calls to mind the paternalistic control that Nolan and Cecil direct onto Mark. This scolding reframes the Empire’s order that Anissa induct Mark into a personal need to reestablish her place on the hierarchy, to move a step higher from being the only Viltrumite in such a subordinating dynamic. Though she is an emblazoned member of this imperial authority, she is not afforded the latitude that Mark is granted against either Nolan or Cecil: where he can approach with fist clenched, she is kept at a distance; where he defies Cecil’s fervent orders, Anissa is totally bound to her own. Kregg still treats Mark as a colonial subject, and thus the punishment for his defiance is far steeper, his planet sentenced to scorched earth, but this only follows three orders to conform interspersed throughout a long period without constant observation; Anissa, in turn, receives no punishment on a comparable scale, but she is given more thorough observation in scrutiny. Mark’s consanguinity with Nolan acts as an aegis against this social panopticon, coordinate to Anissa’s brownness, a more apparent racialization from which he is exempt. Lucan can become a Viltrumite first, and Mark can become the son of Nolan, but Kregg’s control denies Anissa this rhetorical shelter: she is only a younger, smaller, brown woman.

Kregg’s scrutiny of Anissa forms a parallel to the hierarchizing control he and Cecil enforce upon Mark, two older white men observe this racialized teenager with an unspoken promise of physical violation in response to any deviation. The similarity in these aspects of control reinforce Mark and Anissa as reflective intersubjectivity despite the uniqueness of their respective placement in these coercive systems, but also emphasizes the racism in this form of control. Mark is rendered a soldier in a proxy war, expected to carry out Viltrumite imperial interest with the threat of decimation overhead, and with a functional kill switch implanted covertly in the case he contradicts American imperial interest. The nonlethality and everpresence of the implant reflects the silent coercion that Anissa faces, the servant whose ideology aligns with the empire subject to a tacit and inescapable manipulation. Each man frames their mission in logic and numbers, but the bloodsoaked strike across Mark’s cheek and the screeching implant reducing him to spasms indicate a willingness to carry out violations of his bodily autonomy as a punishment.

This exploitation and assumption of Mark’s beholdenness to possessive, racializing authorities infest Conquest’s violence upon Mark. Conquest thoroughly effaces the fantastical rhetoric surrounding this domination and consequently centers the language of satisfaction and punishment around Mark’s status as a racialized member of this desired colony. Conquest will not believe Mark is a Viltrumite until he sees “[Mark’s] Viltrumite heart … beating in my hand”—if Mark is not a Viltrumite, then Conquest is not carrying out violence upon a potential peer, but a collapsed embodiment of the other. This is succeeded by Conquest using Mark’s body as a weapon to cause collateral, calling to mind the same punitive violence to which Nolan subjected Mark, and taking advantage of Mark’s physical durability to massacre the people of the planet he holds dear. Though Conquest, as a nominal personification of the bodily control of the Empire, elides all of Mark’s relations to this colonizing power, both those adopted through resistance or those impelled through coercion, his destruction repeats imagery that Nolan established years earlier—the destruction of the state in excelsis cannot be fully extricated from the father, from the hierarchy of the house.

Through race, Invincible explores the patterns of hegemonic structures, and the staggered interactions occurring between those placed on differentiated strata of these hierarchies, through imperial and domestic authority, between soldiers or between colonial subjects, and across the planes. Nolan’s internalization of Viltrumite imperial ideology borrows from and assimilates with the ideology of white supremacy and the ideology of the family; though Mark cannot escape his racialization, and has never willingly aligned himself with the empire, every gesture he makes to one of these structures incorporates the other by their nature. These connections cannot be elided, nor does Invincible attempt to do so: superficial cues are not sufficient to recognize the interactions between these positions, as Anissa’s darker skin does not exclusively reflect less privilege, but neither does her status in the empire solely reflect increased privilege. Where some shared racialization can create dialogue, as Mark and Anissa’s simultaneous recognition of the other’s circumstances permeates their interlocution, others lead to competing appeals to the authority with which they are aligned. The racialized violence and control that Mark himself can wield demonstrates that he exists at a philosophical crossroads, and that all evocations of this violence, regardless of whoever dispenses it, are made actively, even if subconsciously. It is a choice to reify these structures, rooted in their existential localities, and the systems with which they are familiar. In Invincible, as in reality, race is inescapable.

#invincible #invincible analysis #nolan grayson #mark grayson #angstrom levy #anissa invincible #it's been two months but we finally got another eyeballplanets essay! this one was so fun to write #i'm a lot happier with this one compared to the last one. and i loved that one #eyeballplanets analytical writing

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zvhiux34 · 9 months ago

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(the pics aren't mine obviously)

(Read the subtitles of the song to enjoy the plot)

Pairing: YN (An Empress of Austro-Hungarian Empire ) x König as a knight/Imperial Captain of the Guard

Plot: König is the Imperial Captain of the Guard, and he posseses everything a man could desire, but he lacks the most important: you.

w.c: 1.9k

Warning: Fluff and angst. Small sexual inuendo. Maybe some inaccurate history for the sake of plot lol. English it's not my first language.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

König is the captain general of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Born into a family belonging to the low nobility, he forged his own path as a notable warrior and in the name of the empire he conquered new lands, leading battles like the good strategist that he was.

Throughout the territory and even beyond the border, his bravery on the battlefield and his achievements were well known.

With his great military bearing and an appearance that inspired fear and security, diplomacy and rudeness at the same time, from the noblest of princes to the most dishonorable of the most swindlers wanted to have him as a friend, and were wary of having him as an enemy.

In his homeland the crown deservedly rewarded his great achievements.

He certainly had everything a man could wish for: noble titles, a growing fortune, the respect of all who looked at him and above all, many women who would wish to have him as a husband.

Some would even settle for being the woman who warmed his bed for just one night, even with the risk of lost their honour and being repudiated the next morning.

But with all his virtues, König caused surprise among his subjects for not having the reputation of requiring the presence of the most daring women of the court, as other men did, whether of equal or lesser position, whether married or single.

There, kneeling where he was, in front of the thrones of their royal highnesses, König, dressed in his armour, raised his head and saw for the first time in months the main reason why no woman could capture his attention enough in this life and the next.

That place in his heart had already been reserved for years, by you.

The Empress of the empire that he had been willing to give his last breath to so many times.

König looked at you as if you were a divine apparition.

But the other subjects were not surprised by the intensity of his gaze towards you, because today you were dressed in a perfectly fitted ivory organza dress and the most brilliant jewels no other ruler had ever worn, which was a pleasant reflection of the prosperity of the empire.

In part, thanks to the knight in front of you, who, like so many times before, had today placed at your feet the loot he obtained by conquering the new lands snatched from enemy hands: A prominently treasure trove filled with shiny precious stones and gold coins that were overflowing.

Everyone was amazed at such a find, the trove was so tempting that anyone would want to put their hand in to take out anything that came out of there, and they did not take their eyes off it.

They did not realize König never looked at the trove, because he was looking at something that was much more valuable to him than a thousand conquered kingdoms.

—Your imperial majesties —König finally spoke —I give you at your feet the treasure found from the last successful conquest in the name of this magnificent empire, I wish nothing more than for it to be pleasant for you.

He thought for a moment you had detailed him to make sure he was not injured, as so many other times.

But what caught his attention the most was how your characteristic smile appeared on your face, a smile with hints of tenderness and complacency.

König would be willing to return to the battlefield and fight until death finally reaches him, if that would guarantee that you would never lose your smile.

— As usual, we are very pleased with your work and your effort —You assured. It was well know to you König is a great knight and captain, he has been quite helpful to this empire during all his years of service.

At least this way, you can see him from time to time.

Your voice in his ears was like a sweet melody to his ears, like a lullaby in the middle of the storm... But said melody was finally interrupted by another voice, König turned his attention to it out of respect while masterfully hiding the look of reluctance that tried to dominate his face.

—For your last work for the imperial crown, I, the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, have decided to grant you for your faithful work and commitment to the kingdom... the Duchy of Prague, congratulations —Announced the man who was sitting next to you, the man who owned the only thing König longed for.

The rest of the subjects were impressed by such a concession, especially by the Emperor's gesture, which indicated anything but complacency.

Although he recognized the work of the captain in charge (and found it difficult to admit it out loud) it was known he was not entirely happy with it.

Through the halls of the palace, rumors were circulating that long ago, when you were still a princess...you had maintained a friendship with the current imperial captain, there was even talk of courtship and even wedding plans.

But all that fell apart thanks to the advisors, who found König unsuitable for such plans. However, the friendship prevailed over all these years.

And that's why, most of the duchies the captain general now possessed were thanks to your intervention, as a thank you for König's hard work.

Any of the subjects present would kill anyone to wear the fine leather shoes he was currently carrying.

Internally, König laughed quietly.

Firstly because of the slight discontent his Emperor let slip by granting him the title of one of the most important counties.

Second, because despite all this time, you still thought... by granting him lands and properties he could one day fill the void of not being able to be by your side, and be the man with the legitimate right to be called “Your husband” and to walk arm in arm with you, as you were doing right now, as you and the Emperor stood up to head for the exit on the fine red silk carpet, while your attendant staff followed faithfully behind.

Night fell on the Hofburg Imperial Palace, and König could still hear from the rococo-style room that had been arranged for him, the murmur of the melody of the instruments and the people dancing to their rhythm in the great ballroom.

Tonight, a party was being held in honor of the new conquest, but after the banquet where König never took his eyes off your face, he successfully excused himself by assuring that he would like to rest after the busy days he had lived.

The Emperor, delighted he did not have to fight before him for the attention of others, did not insist and allowed him to leave, instead you looked at him with a certain concealed concern, while you wondered if perhaps the wounds from the battle were responsible for his tiredness.

Already lying on his soft bed, in the company of the candlelight that contrasted with the cold light of the moon that peeked through the window, König could finally accept to himself that he would have liked nothing more than to be able to attend the celebration.

But only to be able to dance the traditional Austrian dances with you, and see you laugh and enjoying the dance while he took advantage of the glorious moment to be able to be close to you, inhale your soft rose scent and touch your silky skin even if it was through the fabric, without running the risk of receiving repression from others.

But that was a thing of the past when you were still a princess and he was "The simple son of a Baron" as he once heard someone refer to him, in these times before you married the current Empeoror.

Since then, protocol reserved that privilege only for him, as well as being able to talk about thousands of things for hours in the privacy of the rooms of this palace and walk until you got lost in the beauty of the gardens.

He remembers how, on one of those walks, he discovered one of the most wonderful beings he had ever met, listening to the way you see life through your eyes, the way you express yourself towards nature, towards other people and the beauty of things... and the way you blushed when he confessed he's feelings for you.

König longed for those beautiful moments with you that were left in a past he did not want to let go.

Now he could not do any of those things without it meaning a lack of respect for your honor... and for that Emperor.

If he could have had the honor of being your husband, he could thus send to hell the hundreds of rules of protocol that involve the treatment of you towards him, and they could do so many things under this sky...

He would fight to give you entire kingdoms with their wonders included simply for being who you are, without having to disguise the fact as a consideration of a knight towards his Empress.

Together you would go to see the parts of the world you two have only known through books and paintings. Now, he is the only one of you two who has known those places.

He would show you the thousands of diversions that exists out there, you would dance all night long until your feet give out, and above all...

You would no longer walk alone through the gardens with only your ladies as your company, nor would you spend even one lonely night in your cold bed... As you do now, and as you probably will tonight, while the Emperor is busy having fun with the ladies that König rejects all the time at court.

But all those wishes were just that, an impossibility for his heart.

And all because you became the first in the line of succession, and the position König had at that time was not important enough to be worthy of being the man who accompanies you, making their union impossible forever.

That's why he decided not to marry.

Why? He didn't want to agree to marriage if he couldn't do it with the only woman he ever loved and the only one he'd ever want to be able to do it with.

He conceived the marriage with some other woman for whom he barely felt any appreciation as something unnatural, despite the pressure from his family and everyone around him to silence the rumors of the court, of the alleged jealousy the Imperial Emperor felt towards a simple captain of the guard.

«What an irony» he thought, the most powerful person in this kingdom felt intimidated by him, the captain of the guard.

While the only thing he wants from the emperor is not his dynasty, his power or his treasure chests...

He simply wants his wife.

Not the empress of this damned empire.

He only wants you.

In his heart he will die being married to you, since this cruel and vain world did not allow it.

It was the last thing König thought of until his tiredness was stronger than him, imagining you dancing in your majestic ivory dress while you sketched the smile that you showed to your subjects, to hide the misfortune that reigned behind your gaze.

Sadly for him, he has also heard the rumors about you.

#fluff #cod #call of duty #cod mw2 #konig call of duty #konig cod #konig x you #konig mw2 #konig x reader #konig angst #angst #Spotify

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wordsmithic · 13 days ago

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Alexander the Great and the Water of Life

The ancient folklore tradition around Alexander the Great

The vast conquests of the Macedonian king Alexander the Great quickly inspired the formation and diffusion of legendary material about his deity, journeys, and tales. These appeared shortly after his death, and some may have already begun forming during his lifetime.

This storytelling tradition was marked by the Greek work «Βίος Αλεξάνδρου του Μακεδόνος και Πράξεις Αυτού» ("The Life of Alexander the Macedonian and His Deeds"), where the mythical adventures of the formidable military commander are listed.

In that work, Alexander doesn't merely conquer Asia, but also campaigns westward, reaches the land of the blessed, encounters Amazons, monsters, rivers where sand flows instead of water, lands without sunlight, gymnosophist philosophers, giants, dog-headed men, people with six legs and three eyes, one-footed little men with sheep-like tails, Indians, Turks, Armenians, Brahmins, and countless other tribes, he flies through the skies and dives into the depths of the sea in a submarine!

This novel was probably written in the 3rd century AD and was later tampered with under the name of Callisthenes (around 1054–1055). Four Greek versions (a, b, c, and e) have survived, followed by countless other translations and adaptations — initially in antiquity into Persian, Armenian, Syriac, and Latin. During the Middle Ages and beyond, it was translated into countless languages. If you are mainly exposed to Western European literature, you might know it as "Historia Alexandri Magni" by Pseudo-Callisthenes.

Alexander the Great for Greeks in the Roman, Late Roman (Byzantine), and Ottoman periods

In the Byzantine world, stories about Alexander that stemmed from the Romance of Pseudo-Callisthenes were particularly popular. Romance means "Novel", and in the original Greek word is "Μυθιστόρημα" (Mythistorema). It literally translates to "Storytelling of Myths".

These stories were adapted to suit the circumstances of the time. For example, Alexander was portrayed as a model Christian emperor or even an apostle of Christianity. Elements from Biblical and medieval traditions were incorporated into the narratives, alongside ancient Greek and other traditions.

In general, based on the various references by Byzantine authors, such as those found in the so-called Mirrors for Princes and encomiastic speeches, it can be concluded that Alexander served as a role model for many Byzantine emperors as a virtuous king. At the same time, he was promoted as a Greek hero and a cultural point of reference for Byzantine identity, especially through the tradition of the Alexander Mythistorema.

"Διήγησις του Αλεξάνδρου του Μακεδόνος" ("Mythistorema of Alexander the Macedonian") was one of the most popular secular readings among the Byzantine Greeks. It also existed in verse form, most notably in the Byzantine multi-verse poem (epic) Βίος Αλεξάνδρου ("Life of Alexander"), which contains 6,133 verses and is dated either to the early 13th century or to the year 1388.

A notable example is the depiction of Alexander in Byzantine iconography of the Ανάληψης του Αλέξανδρου ("Ascension of Alexander"), some monumental versions of which were even used in the interior or exterior decoration of Byzantine churches.

(Alexander here represents the “Kingdom of the Greeks”, one of the four kingdoms that predate the end of times according to interpretations of the prophet Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar II’s dream.)

The tradition of the Alexander Mythistorema continued into the period of Ottoman rule, with numerous editions of the prose version known as "Phyllada of Megalexandros" as well as the verse adaptation known as "Rimada" (from ρίμα = verse). The Phyllada of Megalexandros circulated after 1680 in the Greek vernacular, a prose adaptation of earlier works based on the Hellenistic 3rd-century novel of Pseudo-Callisthenes.

A minor saint of the Greek Orthodox Christian church, the ascetic Sisoes, has been depicted in hagiographies above the open tomb of Alexander the Great for hundreds of years.

In the Ottoman period, beyond the scholars, even simple, semi-literate Greeks, the reading public of the many editions of the Phyllada, viewed him as a symbol of resistance or even redemption against the Ottoman Empire, especially in the second half of the 18th century, during the Greek Age of Enlightenment.

The "Immortal Water" story

The story of the "Water of Immortality" does not appear in the original Greek version of Pseudo-Callisthenes but emerges in later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. In all versions, Alexander fails to attain immortality, emphasizing that mortality is the destiny of humankind.

The Persian national poet Ferdowsi, in his epic Shahnameh (The Book of Kings), presents Alexander as the legitimate king of Persia, a mythical figure who reached the ends of the earth in search of the “Fountain of Youth.” Later Persian authors connected him with philosophy, portraying him as seeking immortality in a symposium with Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Islamic-era Persian accounts of the Alexander legend, known as the Iskandarnameh, combined the Pseudo-Callisthenes and Syriac material about Alexander, some of which is found in the Qur'an, with Sasanian Persian ideas about Alexander the Great. This is an ironic outcome considering Zoroastrian Persia's hostility to the national enemy who finished the Achaemenid Empire, but was also directly responsible for centuries of Persian domination by Hellenistic "foreign rulers".

However, Alexander is sometimes not depicted as a warrior and conqueror, but as a seeker of truth who eventually finds the Ab-i Hayat (Water of Life). Persian sources on the Alexander legend devised a mythical genealogy for him whereby his mother was a concubine of Darius II, making him the half-brother of the last Achaemenid king, Darius III. By the 12th century, such important writers as Nezami Ganjavi were making him the subject of their epic poems.

Some scholars believe, based on corresponding references in the Alexander Mythestorima, that "Dhul-Qarnayn" (Δίκερως), mentioned in the Qur’an, is in fact Alexander the Great. According to this tradition, Alexander is a heroic figure who built a wall to protect the world from the peoples of Gog and Magog. He then traveled across the world in search of the “Water of Life and Immortality”, and ultimately became a prophet.

This legend of Alexander and the Water of Life, most likely found its way (one could say "circled back") to the Greeks with the Ottoman occupation. The Greeks, in turn, merged this tale with stories from their own tradition.

The Immortal Water and the Mermaid sister of Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great’s sister, Thessalonike of Macedon, was a remarkable figure. Outliving her half-brother, she would go on to become the queen of Macedon through marriage to one of Alexander’s generals, Cassander. The second biggest city in Greece is named after her, given its name by Cassander to honor his wife. For the real history of Queen Thessalonike, check this article.

According to the legends, Alexander the Great’s pursuit of the Fountain of Immortality led him to acquire a flask containing "the immortal water" (το αθάνατο νερό). To acquire it, he passed between two moving mountains and fought the Dragon who protected it.

Variations of the tale suggest that Alexander either used the water to wash his sister’s hair, granting her immortality, or inadvertently used it to nourish a wild onion plant, failing to inform Thessalonike of its contents. Another version says that Alexander kept the water secret from Thessaloniki, and she drank it without knowing what it was. Due to Thessalonike leaving no water for him, Alexander cursed her to turn into a Mermaid. Others say that Thessalonike sought to end her own life out of shame by falling into the sea, and then her transformation occurred.

In any case, the Macedonian queen became an immortal mermaid who questions voyaging sailors. Every encounter with sailors bore a consistent query: "Ζει ο βασιλιάς Αλέξανδρος;" ("Is King Alexander alive?”). Only the correct response of "Ζει και βασιλεύει, και τον κόσμο κυριεύει!" (“He lives and reigns and conquers the world”) would appease her, allowing the ship and its crew to sail away safely. Any other reply would awaken her wrath, determined to send the vessel and its sailors to the depths below.

The same motif exists in some Slavic areas who were formerly occupied by the Byzantines and the Ottomans. For example, in the Bulgarian folk songs, there is the legend of Tsar Aleksandar who seeks the Immortal Water. Alexander finds the immortal water behind after walking three days in darkness, behind two mountains that open and close. He leaves the bottle with immortal water to his sister, who breaks it by accident. Alexander chases his sister to the sea, where she escapes and turns into a dolphin.

Thank you for reading this far! The folios presented here are Greek, with Persian and Arabic in the margins, and the rest of the images are from modern Greek art. There are also three hagiographies.

Please reblog if you liked this, so more learn about Alexander's adventures!

#history #alexander the great #greek history #ancient greece #byzantine #persian #arabic #folklore #greek mythology #greece #hellas #legends #museum #folios #thessalonike #mermaid

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whencyclopedia · 4 months ago

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The Last Dynasty: Ancient Egypt from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra

Toby Wilkinson's "The Last Dynasty" is a definitive text on Ptolemaic Egypt. It covers the rise and fall of the Ptolemaic kings and queens, spanning from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra VII. Equally importantly, the author takes time to explore how life in Egypt changed under Greek rule. It stands as one of the most comprehensive and well-written texts on the Ptolemaic dynasty.

On a large scale, the book covers the history of Egypt from Alexander's conquest until the death of Cleopatra VII. It chronicles the beginnings of Greek rule over Egypt and the ways that the Ptolemaic dynasty attempted to bend their new kingdom to their will. Under their domination, Egypt's culture, economy, and language were transformed into something neither wholly Greek nor wholly Egyptian.

The overall arc of the book covers Ptolemaic Egypt's initial prosperity and expansion, followed by civil war and decline. It ends with the Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 BCE, after nearly 300 years of Greek rule. Its 14 chapters are divided into four sections: Apotheosis, Crisis, Neurosis, and Nemesis. The intriguing interplay between kings, queens, generals, and politicians is drawn in very human terms.

The book is equally interesting when it zooms in on the smaller lives of ordinary people. Wilkinson pulls readers into the daily routines of Egypt under Greek rule. They are introduced to its cities, its industries, and its landscapes. The focus on ordinary life in Ptolemaic Egypt helps readers to understand the true cost of the dynasty’s political and military ambitions and to trace the roots of Egyptian resistance to Greek rule. The Ptolemies’ military might was financed with Egypt’s gold, agriculture, and industry, which meant that economic disruptions at home had the potential to break their international power.

Besides civil conflict, the other great threat to Ptolemaic survival was the rise of the Roman Republic. This famous alliance-turned-rivalry brought about the end of Ptolemaic Egypt as it succumbed to the erosion of its geopolitical power. The latter Ptolemies’ attempts to ally themselves with Rome are the focus of the last few chapters, most notably the ones about Cleopatra VII and her father Ptolemy XII.

Maps and full-color plates illustrate the book, maps at the beginning, and plates at the back. It has a larger selection of images than most similar titles. Supplementary material such as family trees, timelines, and lists of rulers helps readers to keep track of major figures and events. This broad, detailed portrait of Ptolemaic Egypt is drawn from a dizzying number of primary and secondary sources. This literature is referenced in the notes, source section, and bibliography at the back of the book. Students will likely find this book valuable as a primer to the period.

Several recent and forthcoming books aim to tackle the Ptolemaic period, with varying levels of success. However, Wilkinson's work will likely be one of the most widely used of these books, being simultaneously rigorous and enjoyable. The most similar existing title in terms of scope and depth would be Günther Hölbl’s A History of the Ptolemaic Empire (2000), which is considerably denser and less approachable. Another similar title is Michel Chauveau’s Egypt in the Age of Cleopatra (1997), which is somewhat dated and not quite as broad.

Toby Wilkinson is an Egyptologist who received his PhD from Cambridge University in 1993. He has written several books on ancient Egypt, including The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt (2010). Wilkinson is currently a Fellow of Clare College, the Society of Antiquaries, and the Royal Historical Society.

#History #AlexanderTheGreat #Alexander #AncientEgypt #Cleopatra

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localcuttlefish · 1 year ago

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A Theoretical Lore Bible of Caesar’s Legion as a Nation

Hello good citizens of Tumblr! I’ve been on a Fallout: New Vegas kick lately, and I recently graduated college with a bachelors degree (major illustration, minor history of art and western civilization). So now that I’m certified to draw dick AND talk about Ancient Rome, I have things to yap about.

Have you ever looked at Caesar’s Legion and wondered how the more intricate aspects of their society model after the Roman Empire? Because I have! And because of those very musings, I have come up with a little dumb idiot theoretical lore Bible on how The Legion might function as a more developed nation, using my back knowledge of western civ and Roman art and culture. Nomenclature, societal structure, industries, imports and exports, the whole nine yards!

DISCLAIMERS: I have not looked through the writers’/directors’ social media accounts thoroughly enough yet to confirm if any of the information I’m bringing to the table is already solidly canonical or solidly non-canonical in the lore of Fallout: New Vegas. There is a nonzero chance I may say something that someone in charge has already said, or something that’s already been disproven or denied. If you catch something I don’t, let me know! I like worldbuilding for fun like this, and I want to keep everything as lore-cohesive as possible to challenge myself. I’ll come back to edit this every now and then if I come up with more cohesive lore pieces, or if you guys have any suggestions that would tie in the lore better. In addition, Caesar’s Legion is an inherently totalitarian nation that supports itself on some pretty sexist and bigoted social structures. There is no universe in which I support, condone, or otherwise encourage any of the ideologies of Caesar’s Legion in real life. Don’t become a tyrant dictator of a military slave nation, kids!

CONTENT WARNINGS: Discussion of slavery, sexism, physical and verbal violence, unsafe medical practices, brainwashing/psychological abuse, and death.

Without further ado, the absolute wall of text that is the theoretical lore Bible of Caesar’s Legion. Enjoyyyyy!!

CHAPTERS:

I: Citizenship

- How To Become a Citizen

- Social Castes

- Names

II: Everyday Life

- Common Social Customs

- Household Structure

- Settlement/Town Structure

- Clothing, Hair, and Accessories

- Languages

III: Industry

- Jobs

- Imports and Exports

IV: Politics, Education, and Religion

- What Senate?

- In The Unlikely Event of a Transfer of Power

- Common Political Beliefs

- Male vs Female Education Standards

Walk and talk with me about the ways The Legion mirrors, juxtaposes, and takes inspiration from Ancient Roman society in a post-apocalyptic setting.

The first time I encountered Caesar’s Legion in game, my initial thought was “What about the American West makes these people think this is the perfect spot to reinvent Italy?” it’s a barren, land-locked desert with only one or two significant water access points. Italy is a peninsula in a temperate climate with high mountain ranges and verdant forests. Most of this was a jokey thought, but then it struck me that a phalanx would actually be an insanely powerful force in a flat landscape. It all started coming together from there in a most dreadful shape

I: Citizenship

- How to Become a Citizen

Caesar’s Legion is a colonialist nation. They gain land through conquest, typically, and have a tendency to try and homogenize the culture to their liking. Generally speaking, after a town has been conquered, people who willingly surrender or submit to The Legion are given an opportunity for citizenship. Any survivors of conquest that aren’t willing to surrender are either executed or sold into slavery. Slaves are not considered citizens, because the rights and freedoms of a slave do not reflect the rights and freedoms that The Legion offers to those who can be put to better use or are complacent with the mission of The Legion.

Once one is offered a chance for citizenship, the highest ranking general in whatever battalion just took over that person’s land will evaluate if the person can be put to work, put on the battlefield, or is generally useless. Remember, an offer isn’t a guarantee. There is a chance someone who is offered citizenship may be evaluated as useless and sold into slavery regardless of their complacency. Protesting the verdict typically increases the chance of spontaneously being executed, or, if one doesn’t like their proposed role of worker or soldier, being demoted from potential citizen to slave.

If the general regards one as fit to work or fit for the battlefield, these “half-citizens” (media populi for plural, and media persona for singular) will be assigned a new legal name after a record of all new media populi is sent from the general to the regional Vilicus (overseer ;) we’ll elaborate more on this in chapter II), and given the task of minimum 400 hours of what we would understand as “community service” before the Vilicus confirms their citizenship. This “community service” is called pentimento, or repentance. It’s a form of brainwashing in which The Legion is in a position to repeatedly reaffirm that the media persona has more value here helping The Legion than they ever did as a free settler in New Vegas before, and instills dynamics that empower and encourage violence against people of “lower status” (slaves and women, usually). Kinda like a Stanford Prison Experiment that’s purposely designed to cause power dynamics instead of accidentally stumbling to the conclusion. Pentimento may include anything from helping re-pave and clear trade routes in Legion territory, to catching runaway slaves. Each media persona is given a number of tasks to complete per month, and each failed task results in more hours being added onto the total pentimento before citizenship is granted. The number of initial hours of pentimento a media persona needs to do may vary depending on the whims of the Vilicus, how much they resisted Legion control in the past, how many tasks of pentimento they leave incomplete per month, and whether they are masculine or feminine presenting, but is never less than 400 to start. Most media populi end up with starting numbers in the 600s or 700s.

Once the pentimento hours are complete and approved by the Vilicus, the media persona becomes a citizen and is expected to continue the service to the growing empire through either the trade they work in, or through service in the army. However, there is a several-month-long window of time in which spies occasionally visit the new citizens’ homes to monitor them for suspicious activity. In this window of time, spies may be looking for signs that indicate the new citizen is an agent from a rival faction sent to infiltrate The Legion. Only high-ranking officials know about this window. One can lose their citizenship and be returned back to status of media persona if they show suspicious behavior during this time, or worse, be demoted from citizen to slave. In cases where there is undeniable evidence that a new citizen is an agent for a rival faction, the citizen is immediately put to death, and their citizenship is revoked (though revoking the citizenship of someone being put to death is a little redundant).

A baby born into a family of two Legion citizens is automatically also a citizen, and must be given a name in line with Legion naming conventions (which will be discussed next segment). A baby born into a family in which the mother is not a citizen and the father is a citizen will also be considered a citizen. A baby born into a family in which the mother is a citizen and the father is not a citizen will not be considered a citizen at birth. A baby born to a family of two media populi or two slaves will not be considered a citizen at birth.

A person who willingly enters Legion territory and requests citizenship will follow the same steps as how a person from a conquered land would be evaluated for citizenship.

- Social Castes

Social Castes in Caesar’s Legion are determined by how useful one is to the empire, and whether one is male or female. The more sexist aspects of the caste system stem from the fact that women in The Legion can’t serve in the military, and the military is a notably higher status than most other castes since Caesar’s Legion is a military state.

Of course, Caesar is the highest on the social pyramid, followed by his chosen officials (take Lanius for example), then chosen guards (praetorian guard). The military comes next, with the social hierarchy of the military following that which was established in the Roman Empire in the early establishment of Caligula’s reign. After that, religious officials (which act as pseudo-indoctrinators into The Legion, and therefore are pretty essential to brainwashing the next generation of Legionnaires). Then, the Vilici, the overseers of each region/settlement. Next, the average male citizen and then, the average female citizen. Media populi come next, and following that social caste is performers (which serve very little purpose in the eyes of Caesar and the goal of conquest), with male performers having marginally more respect among the populous than female performers. Second to last is slaves, once again with males being just a little more respected than females, but what does that matter when both are going to be abused by the upper castes anyways. At the very bottom of the social ladder is outsiders and criminals, which need to be broken before earning even a sliver of humanity in the eyes of The Legion.

Caesar > Chosen Officials > Chosen Guard > Military (with sub-hierarchy of Ancient Roman military) > Religious Officials > Vilici > Average Citizen > Media Populi > Performers > Slaves > Outsiders and Criminals

- Names

The average citizen in Legion territory wouldn’t need to immediately use their new assigned name (since there’s not enough force immediately available to actually push that, the nation is still growing), but The Legion will give them a “legal” name that they’ll be addressed by formally, and in the best case scenario, the original name will be effectively waned out because it simply doesn’t matter in comparison to the new one.

A praenomen acts effectively as a first name one uses around close friends and family, while a nomen (while acting as a last name) becomes what one is more commonly known by in public. The average citizen will usually have a nomen at least, and a male citizen will have a praenomen and nomen.

- MASCULINE: A classical Latin praenomen will be assigned equivalent to the meaning or phonetics of the new citizen’s first name. The nomen will be determined based on either phonetic/meaning equivalent of the last name, or based on the new citizen’s occupation.

- FEMININE: No praenomen will be assigned. The citizen’s title will be a feminized variation of their father’s nomen, differentiated in generation by number nomenclature (Major, Minor, Tertia, etc). If they have no father, they will assume the feminized nomen of a living male partner that is already a Legion citizen. If they have no living Legion family, they will be assigned the name “Romana” and likely be either sold into slavery or auctioned to a bachelor to gain a proper nomen.

For example: Marcus Gaius has two daughters. The eldest daughter is Gaia Major. The youngest daughter is Gaia Minor. Gaia Minor meets Decimus Junius, and they get married. Now Gaia Minor is named Junia. Gaia Major remains unchanged.

Legion soldiers have more dignity in society, and therefore have all the previous conventions, plus a cognomen. Since all Legion soldiers are masculine, differentiation between masc and fem naming conventions is irrelevant from this point forward. The nomen of a soldier may be akin to the structure of how an average citizen’s would be given, or if the soldier shows exceptional prestige and has no remaining male family, a nomen referencing warfare or combat will be assigned to them (Marcus, Augustus, Drusus, etc.).

A Legion cognomen acts effectively as a Roman military callsign. Cognomens follow classical Roman conventions. The cognomen will be used most frequently in a military setting.

II: Everyday Life

- Common Social Customs

Many Roman social customs are adopted into Legion life. For example, the entertainment at the colosseum is mimicked in the tourneys in the various arenas scattered throughout Legion territory. However, because of the key difference in that The Legion isn’t even pretending not to be a totalitarian dictatorship, there are a number of drastic differences between Roman social customs and Legion social customs.

Because of how respected the military is in Legion society, it is commonplace to show soldiers with utmost reverence. It’s customary to allow soldiers to stay in a citizen’s place of residence if the soldier requests it, and it’s customary to refer to the soldier by their military rank, not their nomen or cognomen (especially if the soldier in question is on duty). It’s considered rude or inappropriate to question the motives of a soldier, or prevent a soldier from accessing areas of a citizen’s property. Such transgressions can potentially be met with violence.

One may frequently see slaves struggling to keep up with workloads. It’s taboo, but not punishable to help them, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the productivity of one’s own work. After all, The Legion gains nothing from incomplete work. If helping a slave means increasing efficiency, then it’s appropriate, but a citizen may get strange looks from others for doing so.

Utilitarianism is the ideal philosophy under which everyone should function in an ideal Legion society, but this is clearly not the case nor the environment to foster it. Social norms are based strongly on class, and in most cases, selfishness prevails because selflessness can be seen as weak (or worse, suspicious) by trigger-happy soldiers and spies.

But hey, at least sex isn’t considered a super taboo topic or activity in Legion society. Got that much going for them. Granted, it’s seen more like a conquest, but at least it’s not seen as a sin. Woohoo? Lets go? Kinda? One step forward two steps back.

- Household Structure

A household in Legion territory for a citizen of average means will likely be similar to any other household in New Vegas (with the addition of slaves in wealthier households). Where things start to get confusing is the aforementioned situation of soldiers being allowed to invade households at will. Psychologically, these soldiers are deprived of a lot of comforts the average citizen may have. There is a decidedly nonzero chance that soldiers can show up like stray cats and keep coming back in the event that a citizen is interesting enough to them. Soldiers sometimes “claim” houses or small patches of territory they frequent as a substitute for the emotional interaction they lack. Humans are social creatures. The soldiers might not know why they want to keep coming back, but they do keep coming back. Parasocial.

Generally, a woman’s domain is the household in Legion territory. While the society is by no means matriarchal, it’s customary for a woman to maintain control over most happenings within a household. This often means a woman will need to interact with stray soldiers more frequently. Among female citizens in Legion territory, these soldiers are called catuli (singular catulus) for their presence and tendencies, though this is always in secret due to the harsh punishment of misrepresenting a soldier’s status to his face. A household can sometimes have up to three catuli claim it before fights start to break out among them about perceived territory.

It is expected for a couple in a household to have children. Cultivating multiple generations of soldiers is part of how The Legion grows most efficiently, because children are impressionable enough to instill Legion values without struggle. If a household does not have a child after several years of partnership, it is considered suspicious and the male of the partnership is encouraged to be unfaithful or open the relationship. While there are no consequences for not having children, there is intense pressure to do so.

- Settlement/Town Structure

As mentioned before, the equivalent of a mayor in each region is called a Vilicus, or an overseer. The Vilicus is responsible for tallying the census, assigning names to media populi, approving the pentimento of media populi, keeping track of production rates of resources from citizens, keeping a lookout for disease outbreak so a region can be quarantined if needed, and monitoring the citizens in each region for minor suspicious activity to report to those higher in status. Each town is also occupied by a heavy military presence, to intimidate citizens into productivity and complacency.

Most of the time, Legion towns are made of the previously conquered settlements now added to Legion territories. Building more houses is an avoidable expenditure if they just repurpose the structures already there with a few modifications. Despite the multiple depictions in-game of Caesar’s Legion showing little to no care about what damage they cause, it would make sense that the depictions in the gameplay are actually the outliers in the situation, since it’s far more efficient to leave the settlements intact and just gut and reconfigure the purpose.

There are also multitudes of mobile scout settlements, mostly made of fabric, tarp, and hide tents that can be easily condensed and moved in the event that the camp is compromised. In many cases, these camps are set up as a base to return to in order to stage an invasion of new territories. If possible, The Legion sets them up close to large landmasses like plateaus or mountains for additional cover in the event of an ambush. If that’s not available, The Legion makes settlements like this close to preexisting towns in order to make the wordless threat of “push us back, and innocents die”. Generally, very few citizens are taken on these excursions, but if the plan is to stay out longer, citizens who are medics may be involuntarily drafted into going with the scout team.

- Clothing, Hair, and Accessories

The Legion isn’t a necessarily materialistic society that allows a lot of room for personal expression. Since the goal is to create a homogenous society and culture, self expression through visual cues is often muted at best and absent at normal. Makeup, perfumes, and hair styling products are prohibited if they have any synthetic qualities or materials. In many cases, beauty products are exclusively reserved for performers, and even still, only natural pigments and materials would be permitted. Think the same pigments Ancient Egyptians would make for their makeup.

Protective updo hairstyles are common for long hair, both for practical purposes and for purposes of keeping hair out of reach and harder to pull. Efficiency is key, so in the event of a raid or a threat, everyone is expected to be able to hold their own to some extent. Part of that standard is remaining on guard, so keeping hair up while out of the house is customary.

In the military, hair is expected to be cut short, again, for efficiency. Any soldiers with long hair are expected to keep it in tight braids or cornrows to maintain the same level of efficiency. As long as it stays out of the face.

Most clothing is dull, salvaged from the wastelands. The only exception is clothing reserved for high ranking officials and Caesar, which is quite literally dyed in blood of enemies. Because blood fades to a blackish-red hue over time, high ranking officials will often appear to be wearing darker colors, when in actuality they’re wearing clothes that were soaked in blood as a symbol of power and debt paid to the gods (namely Mars).

Widows are permitted to wear part of their fallen husband’s bloodsoaked clothes through the mourning process, if The Legion can recover and identity the body. With this in mind, as soon as the widow finds a new husband, the bloodsoaked garment piece is burned.

Slaves are deprived of all aspects of individuality, given rags or scraps to wear and marked with red paint. A citizen may give finer clothes to a slave voluntarily, but those clothes must also be marked with red paint.

Jewelry, while rare, is often made of scrap metal salvaged and re-forged from battlefields or old weapons without any further use. Which is why jewelry is so rare. There is seldom ever an instance in which metal can’t become a weapon, so making jewelry is a waste of time and energy.

- Languages

Basically any language can be spoken in Legion territory as it stands, because as The Legion is currently, it doesn’t have enough power or force to totally instill a whole new language system. With that in mind, the groundwork is being laid for an eventual push to make Latin the official language of Caesar’s Legion. Between the commonly used Latin terminology to address people and the Roman theming of The Legion, it’s primed to eventually enforce Latin as the primary language. Highly educated citizens may be fluent in Latin, and most soldiers know commands and codes in Latin.

III: Industry

- Jobs

There are two types of jobs in The Legion, excluding military and slavery. One can either be a worker or a performer. Medics and nurses are highly valued, both on the battlefield and off, since chemical substances are prohibited in The Legion. Carpenters, metalworkers and blacksmiths, engineers, and tanners are some of the more important standard worker jobs, since all of them play directly into expanding the empire more efficiently, making more weapons and armor, or repurposing old material to make new. Tailors, glassworkers, weavers, technicians, and chemists are less valuable to The Legion to some extent because they either involve industries less geared towards conquest, or involve industries beyond the scope of what The Legion finds socially acceptable. Despite the amount of emphasis Roman polytheism puts on naturalistic sculpture, The Legion actually doesn’t find the arts very useful in the immediate future of the empire. What’s most important is conquest, not expression.

On the topic of the arts, performers were seen in a very poor light in The Legion, often oversexualized into objectification or framed as clowns. Most performance art is often seen as a waste of time or an avoidable expense, but it does keep soldier morale up since it gives them something to target that isn’t their fellow man. Being a performer in The Legion is marginally better than slavery, because one can at least have a house as a performer, but the physical and verbal abuse is often daily and unrelenting.

- Imports and Exports

The Legion is definitely not known for being friendly to neighboring factions, so any concept of import and export is often very loosely based in barter (namely, The Legion demanding tithe to barter for leaving a region alone, similar to how some mafias demand payment in exchange for protection from themselves). The Legion has a semi-steady stream of imports from their commonwealths which they pressure into helping them in trade for leaving their towns unburned and their people free from enslavement. However, this is decidedly not a permanent arrangement. This is a way to bide time to grow the nation a bit more before making moves on settlements and regions with more useful resources.

They export nothing unless it’s a strategic play. They pressure neighboring regions into paying them, even though they honestly don’t need it as much as they want the general population of other factions to think they do. Middle school bully nation.

IV: Politics, Education, and Religion

- What Senate?

The big difference between Rome and The Legion is that The Legion doesn’t try to pretend it’s not a dictatorship. There is no senate, there is no board of people to vote, no forum. The only voice that matters is Caesar’s, and it shows in every aspect of how the society is structured, from the strict rules on self expression, to the patriarchal hierarchy of Legion society. Ultimately, this makes the nation weaker, because in the event of Caesar’s death, it creates a power vacuum. No, I don’t think there’s a secret senate. No, I don’t think there is a solid backup plan. I think the closest thing there was to a senate was the two-man power-team that was Edward Sallow and Joshua Graham. We all know how well that worked out. And I think Caesar’s been running on fumes ever since that point, taking this as a sign to expand the nation faster before anyone sees him bleed. Hubristic in nature.

The closest thing there is to a senate are higher officials (such as Lanius) that Caesar hand-picked from Legion ranks to be his personal cabinet that all agrees with him. There is a distinct instability of power when recreating Rome without a senate, and there is the distinct air of trying to hide that open wound.

- In the Unlikely Event of a Transfer of Power

Let’s say, hypothetically, Caesar, the praetorian guard, and all his higher officials suddenly died. The role of Caesar would be up for grabs. In the event that there is no clear successor to Caesar, there is no real backup plan aside from an arena battle between the generals that could potentially succeed Caesar. A simple solution that will clearly show who can spill the most blood for Mars without hesitation or question.

With this in mind, there is one thing distinctly Roman about the potential of a transfer of power. There is always a nonzero chance that Caesar’s killer, be they foreigner or Legion, could become the next emperor. All that matters is who can devote themself to Mars in a way that would honor the fallen Caesar.

- Common Political Beliefs

Politics and religion go hand in hand for Caesar’s Legion because of the cultish way Caesar built the nation. The idea of Mars being the patron deity of The Legion instills a level of gratuitous and overzealous love of warfare among the people. Military expenditures are met with great support, and very little infrastructure on public service is supported as adamantly because of the instilled value of “we are all independent cogs working in a well oiled machine, we don’t need help”. Then again, it’s not like any other voice mattered anyways, since Caesar is the be all end all of political power.

There is a generally nationwide extremism when it comes to dealing with criminals, however. Criminal activity in The Legion is more often than not punished by torture and death, and nobody seems to really protest it to the degree that other factions do. As many of the travelers and traders in Fallout: New Vegas have said, the roads in Legion territories are incredibly safe. There is a level of patriotism in The Legion specifically regarding how safe their lands are, but in exchange, those lands also have an active military presence.

Conquest is also a pretty intrinsic pillar of Legion political beliefs, since the motivation to create a homogeneous society and usher in a new era of perceived piece may make some people accept the totalitarian power for what it is and hope it pans out right.

- Male vs Female Education Standards

Due to the intrinsic divide between male and female Legion citizens, the education of male and female Legion children is vastly different with the only exception being the uniform brainwashing. Male and female children are not only educated on different topics, they are also educated in different locations.

Similar to Spartan men, most male children (even including orphans from freshly raided towns) are give combat training just about as soon as they can hold a stick and swing it. The male children that show combat proficiency continue to become soldiers, and the male children who aren’t strong, but are intelligent are instead divided into training as either spies or medics, depending on the specifics of their skill sets. Male children who aren’t good at any of that end up becoming armigeri (singular armiger), the people who sharpen weapons and tend to the needs of more proficient soldiers. It’s a social tragedy to become what is essentially a pathetic sidekick to some far better soldier. Thankfully, since most of these children are trained from an incredibly young age to be strong, cunning, fast, and durable, very few people end up becoming armigeri. Generally speaking, no boy in The Legion goes without military training. The Legion can capture their blacksmiths and carpenters, there’s no need to train them in-house.

Female Legion children are not given formal education. They are expected to grow up to be housekeepers and produce the next generation of warlords. However, a family still has the liberty to educate a daughter at home with a tutor so long as it doesn’t interfere with the family’s productivity. Usually, female children are given medical teachings more oriented towards patching the injuries of their future husbands. However, girls aren’t left entirely defenseless. Girls are taught how to use ranged weapons and how to escape grapples in the event of an emergency. In addition, girls are given more of an education on finances and practical skills that tie into long-term survival, such as how to use every part of a killed animal for resources, how to patch clothes, and how to cultivate plants.

A Thank You And Some Concluding Comments

Hello hello to anyone who’s made it this far through my ludicrous ramblings! Thank you for reading! This is really just me throwing nonsense in the air and seeing what floats, and most of what I’ve written here will probably be subject to edits every now and then to keep building up what I’ve already put down.

Feel free to use this lore for any fan fictions, fan art, original characters, or whatever else! Please keep building on it!

I hope y’all enjoyed my insane chattering!

#fallout new vegas #fallout #fallout: new vegas #fallout: nv #fnv #fnv oc #caesar’s legion #fallout legion #the legion #fnv legion #edward sallow #joshua graham #vulpes inculta #legate lanius #legion #the things I write for fun

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ishido-enjoyer · 7 months ago

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So I know I haven't been so active in the Napoleonic community in recent months, as I've been pretty absorbed with studying Japanese history and the Japanese language, but the more I've learned about Hideyoshi, the more I found myself comparing him to Napoleon, so here's a post where my two main historical interests get to intersect. :)

Toyotomi Hideyoshi has often been referred to as Japan’s Napoleon Bonaparte. Perhaps a bit Eurocentric given that Hideyoshi was born in 1537, 232 years before Napoleon--if anything it could be said that Napoleon was France’s Hideyoshi, but unfortunately Hideyoshi is not a name most Westerners recognize—otherwise it’s an excellent comparison. I’ve read a great deal about Napoleon over the past several years, and, although my studies on Sengoku Japan are only really in their infancy, I couldn’t help but notice a striking number of parallels and similarities between the lives and military/political careers of Hideyoshi and Napoleon.

Both men came from relatively humble origins and experienced meteoric rises through the ranks via their military service. Napoleon’s family on Corsica were minor nobility—they were not wealthy by any means but at least possessed enough connections to get Napoleon into a military academy; once his training was completed, he was commissioned as an artillery officer. Hideyoshi was born a peasant; his father was an ashigaru (foot soldier) who served a samurai. Hideyoshi followed in his father’s footsteps and became an ashigaru himself, which at the age of 26 brought him into the service of Lord Oda Nobunaga, who was soon the most powerful daimyo in Japan. His talents and intelligence impressed Nobunaga, and Hideyoshi rose to become one of his top generals and retainers by his early thirties. When Nobunaga was betrayed and assassinated in 1582, Hideyoshi, then 35, moved quickly to step into the ensuing power vacuum; within three years he had defeated his main rivals, consolidated his power, and become the most powerful man in Japan himself. Napoleon Bonaparte became a general at age 24 and crowned himself Emperor of the French at age 35. Hideyoshi was never Emperor, nor, being from a peasant background, did he receive the title of shogun, but he was designated kampaku (Imperial Regent) by the Emperor at age 38 and was the real power in the land from this point until his death in 1598.

As a result of their respective meteoric rises and remarkable military successes, both men came to view themselves as destined for greatness. Napoleon frequently spoke of destiny and believed himself guided by it. “Is there a man so blind,” he wrote in December of 1798, “as not to see that destiny itself guides all my operations? Is there anyone so faithless as to doubt that everything in this vast universe is bound to the empire of destiny?” (Broers, Napoleon: Soldier of Fortune, 195) This belief, which pervaded through his life, also made him take great risks, convinced that he was destined to succeed in his endeavors. Hideyoshi came to genuinely believe his own rise was divinely inspired and even developed his own backstory, giving himself celestial origins, and making sure to mention them frequently in his letters to others as a means of convincing them of the rightness of his cause. “At the time my mother conceived me,” he wrote on one occasion, “she had an auspicious dream. That night, a ray of sun filled the room as if it were noontime. All were overcome with astonishment and fright and when the diviners had gathered, they interpreted the event saying: when he reaches the prime of life, his virtue will illuminate the four seas, his authority will emanate to the myriad peoples.” (Berry, Hideyoshi, 9). He even went so far as bringing up his supposedly heavenly origins in a letter to the King of Korea, in hopes of pushing his case to the King to permit his armies safe passage through Korea so he could carry out his planned conquest of Ming China.

Both were regarded as military geniuses by their contemporaries. Napoleon’s quick, dominant successes in Italy, and his crushing victories against Austria, Russia, and Prussia between 1805-1807, solidified his reputation as one of the greatest generals in European history, and arguably the best military commander of his time. Hideyoshi never suffered a defeat in the numerous campaigns he waged over the years to complete the work of unifying Japan that had begun under Nobunaga.

Likewise, both men’s reputations for military genius were severely tarnished by campaigns driven out of an increasingly megalomaniacal drive for conquest abroad. Hideyoshi, his confidence bolstered by his string of military successes, began setting his sights on China, and even hinted in his correspondence that one day, after China had submitted as his vassal, he might even attempt to conquer India. To begin his conquest of China, he first needed to bring his armies through Korea. He attempted to negotiate with the King of Korea to gain safe passage for his armies, but Korea had strong ties to the Ming Dynasty, the negotiations soon broke down, and Hideyoshi sent his armies to invade Korea in 1592. The Japanese initially smashed through the pitiful Korean defenses and made a rapid drive up the peninsula, but with Ming reinforcements soon arriving to turn the tide, and the Japanese navy being repeatedly pummeled by the brilliant Admiral Yi Sun-Sin, the Japanese advance was soon stalled. Eventually the Japanese forces retreated to the southern coastline, where they hunkered down in hastily-built fortifications while peace negotiations dragged out for years between Hideyoshi’s court and the Ming court. When these negotiations also eventually broke down, Hideyoshi launched a second invasion of Korea, less for the sake of conquering China this time than simply for punishing Korea as much as possible for thwarting his initial plans. Hideyoshi himself never actually personally led his armies in Korea—he never went to Korea at all—but relied instead on the reports of his generals and inspectors, whose reports often downplayed or whitewashed the truth of Japanese defeats out of fear. Additionally, some of his primary commanders (like Konishi Yukinaga and Kato Kiyomasa) openly hated each other and their quarrels and personal rivalries occasionally hampered military operations, not unlike the quarrels of Napoleon’s commanders in Russia. The second invasion was turning into a stalemate when Hideyoshi abruptly died in September of 1598 at the age of 61. The remnants of the Japanese army eventually returned to Japan, and a six-year period of nearly relentless horrors and atrocities in Korea had all been for nothing. Napoleon, of course, launched his infamous 1812 invasion of Russia, which, while of much shorter duration than Hideyoshi’s war(s) in Korea, led to a much more thorough destruction of his armies and arguably contributed to his fall from power in 1814. Not that the Korean conflicts left the Toyotomi forces unscathed, and it can also be argued that the extent to which the Western armies had bled themselves out in Korea helped contribute to the victory of Hideoyoshi’s rival, Tokugawa Ieyasu, against his Toyotomi-loyalist enemies at Sekigahara in 1600, as Ieyasu, based in Japan’s eastern Kanto region, had pointedly kept his own forces out of the war.

Both men enacted sweeping reforms in their respective societies which long outlasted either them or the dynasties they both failed to leave behind. Both initiated nationwide cadastral surveys and land registries to make tax collection more accurate and efficient. In 1595, six leading daimyo under Hideyoshi drafted, on his behalf, a code comprised of fourteen brief articles, all of which were centered around keeping the peace, carrying out justice, and governing the behavior of the various social classes in Japan. Napoleon issued his civil code (also not written by himself), now known as the Napoleonic Code, in 1804. While not as brief as the Toyotomi regime’s code, it was written in the vernacular to make it more accessible to the average person.

Both were patrons of the arts; in Hideyoshi’s case, of Noh theater (which he became so passionate about he eventually even performed in plays in front of his subordinates), tea ceremonies, and painting; Napoleon also patronized painters, established art museums and, while not up to becoming a performer in his own right like Hideyoshi, he did attend the opera regularly.

Both Hideyoshi and Napoleon struggled to produce an heir. Hideyoshi’s only son, Tsurumatsu, died at the age of 2 in 1591. Hideyoshi named his nephew Hidetsugu his heir in the meantime, but hoped to have another son. Neither his wife nor his considerable number of concubines were able to give him a child, leading historians to speculate that Hideyoshi may have been sterile by this point, possible as the result of a sexually transmitted disease. In 1592 his concubine Yodo-dono, also known as Chacha, gave birth to a son, Hideyori, who would become Hideyoshi’s only heir (the unfortunate nephew, Hidetsugu, was soon charged with treason and forced to commit seppuku not long after Hideyori’s birth). Hideyoshi’s inability to create an heir with so many other women led to rumors spreading, even before he died, that Hideyori was not really his child. Napoleon also struggled to produce an heir for years after crowning himself Emperor, but, as he demonstrated no problem creating sons with his mistresses, the problem was attributed to his wife’s infertility. He divorced Josephine, married a much younger princess, and soon enough had an heir of his own.

When Hideyoshi died in 1598, his heir was only five years old; when Napoleon fell from power in 1815, his heir was four years old. Both Hideyoshi’s heir and Napoleon’s heir died at the age of 21.

#Toyotomi Hideyoshi #Napoleon Bonaparte #Napoleon #Napoleonic wars #Sengoku Jidai #history #military history #Japanese history #samurai

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eucatastrophicblues · 10 days ago

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things indigenous peoples have done while still being indigenous:

Conquered neighboring people groups and established multiethnic empires

Created official languages for bureaucratic and military use that were different from languages spoken by conquered people as a result of running those multiethnic empires

Practiced sophisticated warfare against their neighbors for control of natural resources or access to territory for hunting and fishing

Cultivated deep inter-ethnic hatred based on religious and/or cultural conflicts and waged war against their rivals that was motivated by these prejudices

Developed and used homophobic and racial slurs

Upheld the gender binary and expected young people to participate in heterosexual marriage and procreative sex

Codified oppressive or restrictive or cruel religious practices into law, expected compliance from the population, and enforced that expected compliance with violence

used the upheaval caused by arriving European settlers to wage a war of expansion and conquest that established them as a regional powerhouse and gave them a bad reputation among their neighbors

actively chose and prioritized violence against their neighbors rather than alliances to more effectively resist colonization

drove out and attempted to wipe out other indigenous groups who they didn’t like

normalized human sacrifice and ritualized combat to the death for prisoners of war from other indigenous groups they didn’t like

perpetuated intense misogyny and codified it as a cultural trait

none of these things cause you to cease being indigenous.

genocide of indigenous peoples across the world by European settlers wasn’t wrong because we never did anything bad ever. it was bad because genocide is bad.

and.

indigenous groups doing bad things are still indigenous. you can’t erase that identity with bad behavior.

#I am once again asking settlers to stop believing indigeneity is a special delicate flower of an identity

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theenglishnook · 1 year ago

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War and Language Contact: The Impact on the English Language

Echoes of Conquest As history unfolds, the clash of civilizations and the march of empires have often been accompanied by the exchange of more than just territory and power. In the tumult of military conquests and conflicts, languages have collided, merged, and transformed, leaving an indelible mark on the linguistic landscape. The English language, in particular, bears the imprint of its…

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useless-catalanfacts · 2 months ago

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De Salses a Guardamar i de Fraga a l’Alguer: les comarques de parla catalana una a una. 65/88: la Costera (Central Valencian Country).

La Costera is a shire whose capital city is Xàtiva.

The inhabitants of Xàtiva are known with the nickname "socarrats" (which means "burned"). Xàtiva had been the main city in this area for a very long time, it had officially been given the title of city in the year 1347 and by the 1700s it was the second most populated city in all the Kingdom of València (second only to València itself). But its inhabitants had to face a particular cruelty from king Philip V.

During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1715), the Castillian (Spanish) army militarily occupied the Kingdoms of València, Aragon, Catalonia, and Mallorca. The invader king, Philip V, ended their independence and incorporated them by "right of conquest" to Spain, abolishing their historical forms of government and historical laws, forbidding the use of the Catalan-Valencian language in all official settings, imposing the use of Spanish, forbid many of our culture's holidays, closed down universities, publicly executed thousands and inflicted public humiliations and exile on more, and imposed extremely high taxes to pay for their homeland's militarization. At that moment, the Spanish army started a period that historians have labelled "military terrorism", where they did everything in their hand to impose a state of terror and psychological punishment on the conquered population. Among the punishments, there were massacres, mass deportations, and public torture. More than 30 Catalan towns and cities were burned to the ground, the larger of which was Xàtiva.

The people of Xàtiva had resisted the advancement of the Bourbon army (the Castillian and French armies) but in the end they couldn't resist the much superior artillery brought from France. As a punishment for their resistance, the whole city was set on fire and burned to the ground, the city's name was changed from Xàtiva to the Spanish name "Nueva Colonia de San Felipe" ("New Colony of Saint Philip"), many of its inhabitants were killed and had all their belongings taken (they were sentenced to death without a trial; the Spanish army even killed 73 people -many of whom were women and children- who were praying in a church all at once) and more than 300 Xativan families were deported to Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). Philip V's orders were: "demolish all of Xàtiva, don't leave any building standing, not even the churches". They also destroyed all the literary and artistic works as well as historical documents that were made by these people he considered rebels. Instead, they built a monument "designed to commemorate the future ages of the chastisement of rebellious people".

The fire that consumed this big city and burned it to the ground, an event amplified by the Spanish Bourbonic propaganda as a way of saying "look what happens to rebels: submit and don't dare to try any resistance", has remained in the memory of the people of this area. For this reason, the inhabitants of Xàtiva are still jokingly called "burned ones". This is referenced in the iconic Valencian traditional song Malaguenya de Barxeta, with the line "I come from the heart of the Costera, the town of the burned ones, where my Valencian Country is reborn from the ashes" (vinc del cor de la Costera / del poble dels socarrats. / D'allà on renaix de les cendres / el meu País Valencià.)

Besides the tragic history of the Xàtiva Extermination, the Costera shire has many more historical sites. It's also interesting to highlight the Montesa castle, built by the Order of Montesa (the successors of the Knights Templar); as well as the Ancient Iberian site of La Bastida de les Alcusses (5th-4th centuries BC).

Photos from Comunitat Valenciana, Turisme La Costera, Arroz Dacsa, Valencia Bonita, munozmontell/xativafotosoficial, ninosenmochila, Enrique Íñiguez Rodríguez/Wikimedia. More information about Xàtiva's destruction can be found in this article (in Spanish).

#comarques #la costera #país valencià #xàtiva #història #guerra de successió #history #war of the spanish succession #war history #imperialism #spanish history #europe #european history #castle #montesa #castles #18th century #1700s #early modern history

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gengor · 3 months ago

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Okay, so I’ve wanted to make a big fe3h politics post for a while now. I wanna come at this from a different angle, and think about how authorial intent and/or bias factor into the political messaging into my interpretation of the characters. So, in this post, I'm going to:

Explain how the writers show that they ultimately want Dimitri’s route to be the ‘good route’ and show how the political ideologies of Dimitri and Edelgard are clearly spelled out for the player (Claude will get a separate post)

If you're not already in the boat of ‘fe3h is a political game’, then just scroll past this lol. Fe3h talks about racism and misogyny and debates how the world should structure its government. It is very political.

So, I’m gonna quote from the translated writer's interview

“Kusakihara: Edelgard’s route’s theme is literally “military rule.” It’s the route where you haveyour own cause and convictions, and even if people you know stand in your way, you mow ‘emdown. In contrast, Dimitri’s route began with the idea to make it “righteous,” the easy approach.It’s just, at the beginning, poor sensitive Dimitri ends up like that because of the circumstances… We sprinkled in juxtapositions like that.

Everyone: (laughs)

Kusakihara: Once he’s fallen, he goes through some twists and turns and awakens to the true king’s path. I wanted to write the righteous route as the conquest route’s opposite [TN: lit.“paradox”]. Claude started with the keyword of “schemer hero,” and I thought he’d weave more plots behind the scenes, and you can’t hate him, but he’s still a bad guy… But as I was writing him, he ended up more of a pure good guy than originally planned (laughs).

Tell us how Edelgard and the Empire got to the position they’re in now.

Kusakihara: I think most of the characters walking the path of conquest up until now have been men. I also think villains are often men… I wanted to do something unexpected, or make it harder to predict future events, so that role went to a woman this time.

Yokota: There’s a contrast between her strong side, pushing through with her conquest, and her adorable side, and I think she turned out to be a good character. Also, sure enough, we left in the longstanding series trope of “empire = bad guys.” With the name “empire,” I feel like there really is this vague image of “probably evil.” Regarding the story, it started with the element of “let’s make it Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” but we also wanted to have a school life. That meant it would have to be temporarily peaceful, and from there, we needed something to spark a war. To that end, something needed to be the bad guy… or rather, shoulder a role close to that, or the story wouldn’t work, so we had the Empire support us in that way.”

Okay, so I don’t really think I need to say all that much to convince you further that Edelgard was their planned villain. It's pretty cut and dry. But the next question to ask is: what is the ‘ideology’ that she’s willing to cut people down to achieve? Well, Edelgard falls into this conservative trope that my partners has got me to start calling ‘evil leftist wizards’ but it’s been called killmonger syndrome by some people online too.

There is a pattern in lots of fiction, both Western and Japanese, to create an antagonist who seeks power to implement left-leaning or progressive goals. Oftentimes, the narrative doesn't really engage with the validity of these claims and will make these characters condemnable by ‘evil via association’, or maybe they ‘have some points but they're just too radical in their methodology’. There is also a tendency of these types of narratives to use right-leaning language and iconography interchangeably with left-leaning language (it goes hand in hand with the way so many conservatives will accuse leftists of ‘being the real fascist’)

Some mainstream examples of this trope include Amon from the Legend of Korra. He fights for *equality* and the liberation of nonbenders, but the writers are clearly trying to tie him to fascism with the imagery of the rising sun, and having him do a literal Sieg Heil in many of his posters.

Another example is Viktor from Arcane, who, in the latest season, became the series' main antagonist who wanted to end discrimination, Erik Killmonger, who wanted to bring an end to racism in America by any means necessary.

Edelgard falls into this trope. She wants Fódlan to move past an antiquated system of theocratic nobility, which is a left-leaning goal. But the game wants her to be condemnable via association because she cooperates with a lot of cartoonishly evil characters from TWSITD to get her goals done or engages in other morally grey/condemnable actions to get her goals accomplished. So, while I think it's fair to criticize her for many of the things she does, she is ultimately how the game is choosing to portray leftism, and frankly, it's not a great or insightful critique of leftism.

So where is Dimitri in all of this? Well I think Dimitri represents the politics of the writers, which scews very centristy.

Why do I think Dimitri is a centrist? He told us this point blank in the appropriately named event: Crests: The Good and the Bad

“I believe that Margrave Gautier was wrong to disinherit Miklan simply because he did not bear a Crest. Still, there is always a reason for why such customs stand the test of time. Imagine what this world would be like if no one placed any stock in Crests...Bloodlines that carry Crests would dwindle. The metaphorical blade used to oppose threats would eventually rust.This same argument has been made time and time again across the years. Both sides are at once right and wrong.”

“I believe those with Crests and those without should acknowledge the others' strengths and learn to respect each other based on personal merits. And that doesn't apply only to Crests. The same holds true for lineage, race, faith, ideologies…” Source

I wanna draw attention to that word. “Ideologies”. Basically Dimitri is saying judging people on their race is bad but then he lumps judging someone based on their *ideology* to be an equally bad thing.

It’s worth noting that Dimitri will verbally condemn racism, but he still participated in quelling a rebellion from Duscur. Source The game tries to make this seem more palatable by having Dedue adhere strictly to whatever Dimitri says, turning Dimitri into a white savior type character.

While Dimitri might say things that sound progressive, there’s signs in there that he isn’t actually left-leaning. Dimitri can see issues with the current system but believes actually challenging the status quo to be wrong. He will *always* be the Lord who protects the church and upholds the system of nobility. The system of nobility which has women being sold off to their husband's families to produce heirs, the system of nobility that concentrates Fodlans power solely in the hands of white people (see Claude and Balthus’s character premise for proof… and also note that Hapi is Dimitri’s only platonic ending with a woman)

In this sense, Dimitri has kind of become my favorite Lord, not because I think he’s right, but because he feels like the perfect window into the mind of how centrists operate. He has SO much power in this world as the king and or crown prince, but he chooses to appease conservatives instead every time.

And to be clear, I don't think people who sympathize with him are stupid or wrong to do that. Opinions on media don’t automatically translate to politics. I personally don't sympathize with him because I am hyper invested in the politics here. But I still really enjoy him as a character.

Edit: I feel like I didn’t conclude this well.

I think ultimately the thing I wanted to say about fe3h discourse is that it’s important to acknowledge that the writers were trying to side with centrism by using Dimitri as their ‘good choice’. And any criticism Edelgard should keep in mind that the writers are trying to use her morally grey behavior to undermine progressive revolutions. Tying her to imperialism was an intentional choice done to undermine the legitimacy of her goals. The premise of a ‘progressive imperialist movement’ is kind of just something that can only come out of the mouth of a conservative to begin with.

#fe3h #edelgard von hresvelg #dimitri alexandre blaiddyd #fe16 #I feel like this probably reads like giberish. I have an obsession with the philosophy of conservative propaganda. lol.

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vivacissimx · 10 months ago

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some course correction on visenya targaryen

Current Visenya discourses are flawed because they presuppose forms of patriarchy that didn't exist yet & project it backwards (a trick Fire & Blood actually uses itself, in fact makes it cartoonishly obvious, because that's a mechanism of creating history. Ex. 'Baelon was the natural successor to Aemon and everybody definitely agreed' only for the issue to continue being debated for years to come). So the language of 'usurpation' is used for Visenya when the story that ultimately weaves into the usurpation of a female claimant is only beginning.

The Visenya who crowned Aegon beneath their brand new family heraldic banner, who publicly took on worship of the Seven despite privately continuing to observe Valyrian rites & rituals, is part of a trio who are participating in Westerosi cultural practices so as to legitimize themselves in the eyes of their subject. We are not coming as foreigners who will threaten your ways, it purposely says. These are compromises willingly made but they do not indicate that the Conquerors viewed themselves as within the paradigm of Westeros entirely. Does that even need to be said? They were quite literally a polygamous incestuous union! Their banner is a three-headed dragon, three parts to a whole, not one single dragon to rule them all (and one dragon is what we later see Aegon II use as his banner when he usurps Rhaenyra— indicating that unlike Aegon the Conqueror, he views himself as the one king, & there are no equal partners to him least of all in the form of pesky sisters).

The Visenya who equally participated in military campaigns, lawmaking, judgement, progresses, & holding of Dragonstone/King's Landing did not view herself as being usurped. Neither did this same Visenya show interest in having children until she absolutely had to (with Rhaenys dead and one single sickly heir remaining). The equipoise of the post-Conquest pre-Rhaenys' death years seems to be that Aegon & Visenya were not too fussed about having a child together because thankfully Rhaenys existed between them, Rhaenys who was much more interested/interesting wrt the matter which kept the two elder siblings in peace. As it goes, Rhaenys' death coincides with the fracturing of the Aegon & Visenya relationship. Nonetheless after Rhaenys dies Visenya takes several steps to protect their fledgling dynasty such as military invasion of Dorne for vengeance and to discourage further rebellion, establishing the Kingsguard to protect Aegon who she viewed as perhaps less capable than her, and, yes, getting pregnant herself. When Visenya did have a child, everything she did with Maegor can be viewed in the sense that she was reproducing herself for the next generation. Like Visenya, Maegor's education was a martial one. Like Visenya, he should wield Dark Sister. Like Visenya, he should be part of the heir-apparent-structure by marrying Rhaena (later the Black Bride). Like Visenya, he must show strength when the family is weak, and be in service to their House (by making peace with the Faith by marrying Ceryse Hightower, by putting down rebellion when Aenys couldn't, by returning from exile when Aenys died). Like Visenya, he was allowed to enter a polygamous union (indeed Visenya presided over that ceremony).

[And there are points to be made regarding the Visenya archetype, how Maegor explicitly rejected it in pursuit of his father's legacy, but that's a different round-up.]

Whether Visenya initially foresaw a trio for Maegor, that he'd be a first husband for Rhaena but that perhaps Rhaena could also marry a son of Aenys, brings up a really interesting question as to the nature of plural marriage (whether polyandry was also legitimated by acceptance of Targcest, which had not yet been codified as monogamous by Jaehaerys who notably did not marry both of his sisters— and this question is subtly brought up again mockingly with Saera, more seriously with Rhaenyra). But that's not the point of this post! The point of this post is to say that the nature of the Conqueror trios roles & responsibilities was much more fluid than the language of 'usurpation' allows for. Did Visenya's positioning set the stage for what would ultimately snowball into Rhaenyra's usurpation, a process which relied on Visenya, and Rhaena, and Alysanne, and Rhaenys TQWNW, and so on's circumstances to unfold the way it did? Of course. It's a lineage. But it's an error to say 'things were always that way.' Nothing is ever so flat as that. The point is more that 'one thing led to another.'

#asoiaf #valyrianscrolls #visenya targaryen #text

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gemsofgreece · 4 months ago

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What do greeks (lke the totally hellenic ones) thinks of their ethnic minorities like aromanians, pomaks, romas, slavs and arvanites/albanians ? Are they still culturally differents and identify with their ethnicity or are they fully assimilated and their background is just a funfact ?

This depends on the minority. It also depends on the way the minority perceives itself. The situation differs for each of them so I have to write for them separately.

Aromanians or Vlachs

The Vlachs are one of the two most seamlessly integrated minorities in the Greek society. In fact, they were entirely fused and vibing with the Greek cause even before the break of the Independence War in 1821 and the creation of the Modern Greek State, in which they were very involved as well. The origins of the Vlachs are not yet understood. Despite theories being built in other neighbouring Balkan countries and Romania suggesting the Vlachs descended at some point from the Romanian region to Greece, there has not been any such documented migration that can be confirmed. The Vlachs have been in Greek or, rather, Byzantine territory since at least the 11th century, they historically speak the Aromanian language, which is derived from Vulgar Latin like all Romantic languages and has a lot in common with Romanian, and they prospered by living in the mountains and practicing husbandry. Their unclear origins, their Greek Orthodox faith and their significant integration long before Greece was even a sovereign state has led to the perception of the minority as a linguistic one rather than an ethnic one. A lot of Vlachs in Greece view themselves as originally Greeks who switched to Latin after the Roman conquest of the Greek lands and just remained Romantic speaking ever since, although this too is a totally unconfirmed theory. Another theory, also unconfirmed, is that they were some last Latin-speaking Romans who remained as such even after the increasingly Hellenic character of the Byzantine empire. In any case, most of them identify strongly with the Greek ethnic identity in the last centuries. The use of the Aromanian language is severely endangered. Just to draw a picture, a few years ago a minister (I think) suggested the teaching of the Aromanian language in schools for the Vlach students. The Vlach community itself objected (!) to this claiming that this would create a perception of a different ethnicity about them. This is not to say that everyone thinks like that but the vast majority do. Vlachs have been the butts of jokes in the Greek society, stereotyping them as too rural and primitive, probably due to them historically being mountain farmers and shepherds. In serious contexts, however, they are respected and a lot of Vlachs have had great positions of power in politics. It should also be noted that some of the biggest benefactors of the Greek State have been Vlachs, such as Georgios Averof (1815 - 1899), who made enormous donations in the Greek minority community of Egypt, funded the largest Technical University of Greece (which since then bears the name of his birthplace Metsovo), other schools, conservatories, the Evelpides School (Highest Military School), restored the ancient Panathenaic Stadium and most famously gave 2.5 million francs to the Greek Navy, with which the famous Greek cruiser Averof was built. That guy was definitely not raising an ethnicity question...

In case you think I am exaggerating:

In simple words, it's not the non-Vlach Greeks but it is actually the Vlachs themselves who are angered by the notion that they are a minority in Greece. Most Vlachs reside in Greece but most Vlachs of other countries do not have a Greek sentiment. There are two sides to this story that should be taken into account though: of course historically most Vlachs lived in a region which was largely Greek-speaking and Greek Orthodox which would explain why Greek Vlachs in particular have developed a robust ethnic Greek identity. On the other hand, neighbouring Balkan countries which have had strained relations with Greece actively discouraged their local Aromanian communities to identify as having any sort of connection to the Greeks. Compare this to the non-neighbouring Serbia, with which Greece always had good relations, where the Aromanian population of the 19th century was bilingual in Greek and Aromanian and they were often called "Grci" (Greeks) by the Serbs.

This is not to speak on the behalf of the Aromanians or claim they are this or that, I am only trying to show how nuanced the situation is and how differently it might be viewed depending on who's doing the talking.

Photos of Vlachs from Vlach sites.

Georgios Averof and the Greek cruiser named after him.

Pomaks

Pomaks are an unfortunately forgotten community in the greater forgetfulness of the Greek state when it comes to the region of Thrace. Pomaks are Muslim speakers of a Bulgarian dialect, inhabiting Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey. The problem is that both Turkey, out of expansionism, and Greece, out of stupidity and stereotypes, tend to perceive whomever is Muslim as a "Turk". Furthermore, the Greek society seems to be a little cautious with them due to their stricter religious beliefs. As a result, the Greek state uses the Turkish language (!!!) in Pomak schools and for the practice of Islam instead of the Pomak or at least the Greek as being the state language (using Greek to practice Islam?????? You can hear the sound of millions of Greeks dropping unconscious to the floor at the mere thought). This has led to the turkification of the Pomak community, which however has been noticed and Pomak themselves raise concerns over it. When Turkey tried to exploit this by sending the previous minister of Foreign Affairs for a diplomatic trip there, the Pomaks declared him as persona non grata and declared themselves as "Pomak Muslims and Greek citizens". The Turkish minister eventually cancelled his plans to visit. Greek Pomaks tend to be a little isolated and inwarded and have few interactions with the Pomaks of Bulgaria and Turkey. So far to my knowledge, they seem to identify as Pomak and not view it as a Bulgarian cultural minority, like Bulgarian Pomaks do. Greek Pomaks do not seem to have any particular demands, except for the Greek society to eventually view them properly as actual Greek citizens. Hellenic Greeks are not negative towards Pomaks, they just know too little about them and make misconceptions. Pomaks are of course distinct culturally, religiously and lingually than most Greek nationals.

Pomak girls

Ideological positions of Zagalisa, the oldest Pomak newspaper in Greece. From its website.

Roma

The Romani are one of the largest and in many ways diverse minorities in Greece. It is certainly also one of the most marginalised. Roma are a primarily nomadic people and so they are dispersed throughout the country. Romani people have lived in Greek territories since the 15th century. Greek Roma show great diversity in how much they are integrated into Greek society, how involved they generally are in Greek matters and how much they follow the Romani versus Greek customs / lifestyle . They speak Romani and Greek or Romano-Greek or other smaller Romani dialects. Most are actually pretty pious Greek Orthodox believers nowadays but a few also constitute a Muslim minority in Thrace. As a result of neglect by the state, among other factors, the Romani communities in Greece face several problems including high rates of child labour and abuse, low school attendance, police discrimination and drug trafficking. The most serious issue is the housing problem since many Roma in Greece still live in tents, on properties they do not own, making them subject to eviction. In the past decade these issues have received wider attention and some state funding. Roma people definitely face discrimination. Due to this and maybe also due to their own desire to keep their own culture intact, some have less than ideal relations to the rest of the Greek citizens. On the other hand, there are also many Roma who have successfully developed a Greco-Romani sense of identity and have an according lifestyle. Many Roma have prospered and become famous in the artistic fields, especially in the music industry. There are many Greek Roma that are famous and very loved musicians and singers.

A few Greek celebrities with full or partial Romani ancestry.

Greek Roma in a protest for their human rights in 2014.

Slavs of Macedonia

By Slavs, I suppose you meant the Slavic locals residing in Macedonia and not generally all people from Slavic countries who have migrated to Greece. The Slavic minority of Macedonia is certainly a most sensitive topic in this post, due to the bad relations of Greece with the Republic of North Macedonia. First of all, most of the Slavic inhabitants of Macedonia were moved or deported to Bulgaria and Serbia / Yugoslavia (later turned to Republic of North Macedonia) during the Macedonian Struggle and the Balkan Wars, just like Greeks of these regions were moved / deported to Greece. The remaining numbers are very small. Nowadays, most of them are entirely Greek passing, speaking Greek usually as their first language, having Greek names and surnames and in general being mostly indistinguishable from other Greeks. Their Slavic heritage is evident through their knowledge of the local South Slavic dialect, which they might use with each other and within their families (but are hesitant to do so in front of other Greeks) and some local customs that are Slavic in origin. People of Slavic heritage in Macedonia generally fall into two categories, to my understanding: a) a group of people who generally agree with the perception of the Republic of North Macedonia of the existence of a "Macedonian" ethnic identity and a "Macedonian" language, a position that both Greece and Bulgaria oppose to and Greece also views as irredentist propaganda. My perception however is that most of these people who are Greek citizens do not follow the extreme rhetorics of NM in that they are supposedly the true inheritors of Macedonia or that the Ancient Macedonian history / legacy belongs (exclusively) to them. Most Macedonian Slavs of Greece do not deny the legitimacy of the Greek presence and historicity in Macedonia since antiquity, they just wish for the recognition of their language as a minority language of the region and expect the rights that come with it. Neither do they seem to wish that Macedonia should be part of the Republic of North Macedonia instead. I am not saying that's all of them, because on the Greek and generally on the Balkan internet and social media you will hear just about everything, but the majority generally seems to fall along those lines. The Greek state does not recognize them and their language as a minority yet, stumbling onto the huge obstacle of it being called "Macedonian". You know, it's the notorious "name issue". A few individuals have formed a political party but it is of no consequence as at its hayday it gathered percentages of 0,09-0,11% on a national level and a maximum of 5,7% in the region in which most of the Slavs of Macedonia are concentrated.

b) The second category of people of Slavic heritage in Macedonia might actually be bigger but I only recently became aware of them. Those seem to be descendants of the Grecomans or later embracing their heritage through a Grecoman perspective. Here it should be noted that the term "Grecoman" is pejorative in neighbouring Balkan countries where it was coined, literally meaning "Greek maniacs", but it is embraced in Greece. In short, the Grecomans were locals of Macedonia and Thrace who indentified as Greeks and fought in favour of Greece during the Macedonian Struggle and the Balkan Wars even though they appeared to be fully or partially non-Greek culturally and linguistically. While it was mostly for people of Slavic heritage, it was also used for people speaking Albanian or Aromanian (see above) as a first language. The Grecomans were accused by the neighbour countries as "pretending to be Greeks" and "not real Greeks" because apparently the right to self-determination suddenly does not apply if you're claiming to be Greek in particular. People embracing the "Grecoman" stance nowadays accept that Macedonia was at some point influenced by the Slavs due to their appearance in the region in the Middle Ages or later due to the multi-cultural character of the Ottoman Empire that inescapably also influenced the pre-existing local Greek populations there. As a result, the Grecomans view themselves as ethnic Greeks who were significantly culturally and linguistically influenced by Bulgarians and other South Slavic populations over the course of the last centuries. They do respect their Slavic idiom and Slavic traditions but they view them as elements of a greater and more diverse Greek cultural tapestry, due to the historical influence Greek people have received from others. I don't know how accurate all this is, however it is certain that this happened to some degree, meaning that Greeks were slavicized, just like Bulgarians and other Slavs also got hellenized, due to the extensive interactions of those populations in Byzantine and Ottoman times.

Therefore the minority of Slavic speakers of Macedonia differ in their perception of their identity; some compose a distinct ethnic minority that is at odds with the rest of the Greeks (although also most not really feeling represented by the Republic of North Macedonia and its positions either) and some identify as ethnic Greeks who compose a distinct cultural minority.

It is perhaps telling both for the sensitivity of the topic but also their small numbers that I cannot find photos of them making gatherings like I did with the other minorities. I only find historical photos of Grecomans.

Arvanites

In your mail you wrote Arvanites / Albanians which is not totally accurate because these two communities are perceived totally differently in Greece and they also perceive themselves totally differently in terms of their identity and role in the country. Arvanites are Greeks of a now basically distant Albanian origin. The first Arvanites came to the Greek territories around the 13th-14th centuries from the region of Arbanon in modern-day South Albania, which of course also was a part of the Byzantine Empire at the time, with phases of being an autonomous principality, where also ethnic Greeks have been present all this time as well. Arvanites were Greek Orthodox Christians and they spoke a dialect of Tosk Albanian with Greek influences. It is unclear how they exactly viewed themselves in those early centuries but by the 19th century they had merged significantly with other Greeks and they were all bilingual in Greek and Tosk Albanian. Arvanites managed to preserve their language and some of their traditions by establishing several Arvanite-core settlements mostly in South-Central Greece. However, their common faith and often common uprisings against the Ottoman Turks made them interact and marry with other Greeks beyond their minority communities, to the point that nowdays most are mixed. Many of the Greek Independence warriors that Albanian nationalists altogether call Albanians nowadays were of half-Arvanite and half-other Greek ancestry. (Of course many were also not Arvanites at all to begin with but Albanian nationalists kinda also call Ancient Greek gods as Albanians so there's that... you know, Balkans, you gotta be careful.) Even those who were indeed Arvanites spoke extensively and very proudly of the Greek / Hellenic cause and the "fatherland Hellas". Many of the Greek warriors left detailed documentation with letters and memoirs behind and the truth as well as the perception of their own identity can be easily traced in those. Furthermore, in the Ottoman army the soldiers a lot of the times were not actually Turks but rather Egyptian subjects and Albanian mercenaries. Arvanites were fighting therefore alongside other Greeks against Albanians of the Ottoman army. Another thing to be considered is that across the centuries of Byzantine and Ottoman power there were no national borders between the regions of Greece and Albania. The strong similarities between Greek, Albanian and the in-between Arvanite fighters in the Ottoman Empire can be very easily explained due to their very significant interaction and cohabitation. This is why Greeks and Albanians of the time and the Arvanites of course, especially those fighting in the mountains, were knowledgeable in each other's languages without this raising any ethnic or identity questions for either, however people nowadays find it very hard to wrap their minds around these totally different conditions of borderless co-existence within nearby regions of a vast empire. As said above, Arvanites were already Greek Orthodox and Greek speakers (in addition to the Tosk Albanian dialect) for long before the break out of the Independence War. As a result, after the establishment of the Modern Greek State, the Arvanites were never viewed as foreigners or a separate minority or Albanians in the way the people of Albania are perceived. Furthermore, due to all the reasons presented above in short their cultural expression does not differ significantly from Greek cultural expression. Their costumes and songs don't differ much more than other Greek costumes and songs differ from one another. Consequently, the Arvanites are hardly considered a minority but if we must call them as such, then they generally fall into a linguistic minority category more because this is their most notable difference from other Greeks. The Arvanite dialect is severely endangered nowadays however, let alone that most Arvanites spoke Greek fluently even before the independence. Other than that the Arvanites take pride and look after their traditional costumes, songs and dances.

Again, on the Internet and social media you can find just about anything, including Arvanites siding with Albanian nationalists in thinking their community is oppressed by the Greek state but also more moderate Albanians who argue that everything in the Arvanite history shows that for the last centuries they are closer and more similar to Greeks than to Albanians. I have encountered both types of people on the Internet. In real life, however, so far Arvanites seem to identify as Greeks and take pride for their contribution to Greek history. Other Greeks also overwhelmingly consider Arvanites Greeks, not in order to distance them from the Albanians (although some might do it for this reason too) but because they genuinely perceive them as indistinguishable from Greeks. As for those, usually Albanians, who think Arvanites are oppressed by the Greeks, I will just say that Greece had Arvanite PMs and ministers since the foundation of the modern state, who could have favoured the Albanian presence right then and there, if they had such concerns. People just don't want to entertain whatever does not fit their ethnic if not nationalist narrative which likes to fit things in distinct boxes. Arvanites fought for Greek independence and had already mixed with the rest of the Greeks in the modern state by the early 19th century - the Albanian national idea for independence from the Ottoman Turks and the formation of an Albanian state was first shaped in late 19th century. In short, Arvanites truly have genes and heritage from both Greeks and Albanians, and that's about it. Whoever says something different is fooling themselves.

Arvanites and painting inspired by the Death of Markos Botsaris, the most famous Arvanite Greek Independence fighter (who was indeed an Arvanite).

Pressing "post" with a prayer, this can get me hate from both Greeks and non-Greeks....I genuinely believe I spoke the truth, or whatever is closest to the truth.

#greece #minorities #history #greek history #minorities of greece #greek facts #anon #ask #long post #tw long

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blackhistorystoryteller · 2 years ago

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AN ARTICLE ON THE BRITISH LOOTING FROM AFRICA

AND SUFFERING OF AFRICANS

The British should return every loot of all kinds back to Africa

IF THEY CONDEMN SLAVE TRADE THEY SHOULD START BY RETURNING THE LOOTS COLLECTED FROM AFRICA ALL IN THE NAME OF TRADE AND RELIGION ,IF OUR CULTURE WAS BAD WHY DID THEY TAKE AWAY OUR HERITAGE AND STORE THEM IN A MUSEUM ?

The looting of Africa during the colonial era occurred through a combination of methods and strategies employed by European colonial powers, including Britain. Here are some of the ways in which Africa was looted during this period:

Military Conquest: European colonial powers, including the British, often used military force to conquer and control African territories. This involved armed conflicts, wars of conquest, and the suppression of local resistance movements. Through these military campaigns, colonial powers gained control over land and resources.

Resource Extraction: One of the primary motivations for colonialism in Africa was the exploitation of its abundant natural resources. European colonial powers, including Britain, extracted valuable resources such as minerals, rubber, timber, and agricultural products from African colonies. These resources were often taken for the economic benefit of the colonial powers.

Forced Labor: Colonial powers imposed forced labor systems on Africans to work in mines, plantations, and other labor-intensive industries. These labor practices were exploitative and often involved harsh working conditions and little compensation.

Taxation and Economic Exploitation: Africans were subjected to unfair taxation systems that drained wealth from their communities. Colonial administrations imposed taxes on land, crops, and other economic activities, forcing Africans to generate revenue for the colonial authorities.

Land Dispossession: Africans frequently lost access to their ancestral lands as colonial governments allocated land to European settlers and corporations. This land dispossession disrupted traditional agricultural practices and led to social and economic dislocation.

Confiscation of Cultural Artifacts: Colonial powers often confiscated cultural artifacts, sculptures, art, and religious items from Africa. These items were frequently transported to Europe and ended up in museums, private collections, or auction houses.

Unequal Trade Agreements: Colonial powers imposed trade agreements that favored their own economies. Africans often received minimal compensation for their raw materials and agricultural products, while European countries reaped significant profits from these trade relationships.

Suppression of Indigenous Cultures: The suppression of indigenous African cultures and languages was another aspect of colonialism. European powers sought to impose their own cultural norms and values, often devaluing or erasing African traditions.

Missionaries played a complex role in the context of colonialism and the looting of Africa. While their primary mission was to spread Christianity and convert indigenous populations to Christianity, their activities and interactions with colonial authorities had various effects on the looting of Africa:

1. Cultural Influence: Missionaries often sought to replace indigenous African religions with Christianity. In doing so, they promoted European cultural norms, values, and practices, which contributed to cultural change and, in some cases, the erosion of traditional African cultures.

2. Collaboration with Colonial Powers: In some instances, missionaries worked closely with colonial authorities. They provided moral and religious justification for colonialism and sometimes acted as intermediaries between the colonial administration and local communities. This collaboration could indirectly support the colonial exploitation of resources.

3. Access to Resources: Missionary activities occasionally granted them access to valuable resources and artifacts. They may have collected religious objects, manuscripts, and other items from indigenous communities, which were sometimes sent back to Europe as part of ethnographic or religious collections.

4. Education and Healthcare: Missionaries established schools, hospitals, and other institutions in African communities. While these services were aimed at spreading Christianity, they also provided education and healthcare to local populations, which could have positive impacts on individuals and communities.

5. Advocacy for Indigenous Rights: Some missionaries, particularly in later years, became advocates for the rights of indigenous populations. They witnessed the injustices of colonialism and spoke out against the mistreatment of Africans, including forced labor and land dispossession.

6. Conversion and Social Change: The conversion of Africans to Christianity brought about significant social changes in some communities. It could lead to shifts in social hierarchies, family structures, and gender roles, sometimes contributing to social upheaval.

1. Cultural Bias: The British, like many Europeans of their time, often viewed their own culture, including Christianity, as superior to the indigenous cultures and religions they encountered in Africa. This cultural bias led to the condemnation of indigenous African religions and gods as "pagan" or "heathen."

2. Religious Conversion: Part of the colonial mission was to spread Christianity among the indigenous populations. Missionaries were sent to Africa with the aim of converting people to Christianity, which often involved suppressing or condemning traditional African religions and deities seen as incompatible with Christianity.

3. Economic Interests: The British Empire, like other colonial powers, was driven by economic interests. They often saw the resources and wealth of African societies as valuable commodities to be exploited. This economic agenda could involve looting or confiscating sacred artifacts, including religious objects, for financial gain.

4. Ethnographic Research: Some British colonial officials and scholars engaged in ethnographic research to study African cultures, including their religious practices. While this research aimed to document indigenous cultures, it could sometimes involve the collection of religious artifacts and objects, which were then sent to museums or private collections in Europe.

5. Cultural Imperialism: Colonialism was not just about economic and political domination; it also involved cultural imperialism. This included an attempt to impose European cultural norms, values, and religious beliefs on African societies, often at the expense of indigenous traditions.

The issue of repatriating cultural artifacts looted from Africa during the colonial era has gained significant attention in recent years. Countries and communities in Africa have long called for the return of these treasures, which hold deep cultural and historical significance. Among the former colonial powers, Britain stands at the forefront of this debate. This article explores the ongoing discussion surrounding Britain's role in returning looted artifacts to Africa.

A Legacy of Colonialism:

Britain's colonial history left a profound impact on many African nations, including the removal of countless cultural treasures. During the height of the British Empire, valuable artifacts, sculptures, manuscripts, and sacred items were taken from their places of origin. These items found their way into the collections of museums, private collectors, and institutions in Britain.

The Case for Repatriation:

Advocates for repatriation argue that these artifacts rightfully belong to the countries and communities from which they were taken. They emphasize the importance of returning stolen cultural heritage as a step towards justice and reconciliation. Many African nations view these artifacts as integral to their cultural identity and heritage.

International Momentum:

In recent years, there has been a growing international momentum to address this issue. Museums and institutions worldwide are engaging in discussions about repatriation. Some institutions have initiated efforts to return specific items to their countries of origin, acknowledging their historical and moral responsibility.

Britain's Response:

Britain, home to several renowned museums housing African artifacts, has faced increasing pressure to address this issue. The British Museum, for instance, has faced calls to repatriate numerous artifacts, including the Benin Bronzes and the Elgin Marbles, which have origins in Africa and Greece, respectively.

In response to these demands, some British institutions have started to collaborate with African countries to explore the possibility of returning certain artifacts. These discussions aim to find mutually agreeable solutions that respect both the historical context and the cultural significance of these items.

Challenges and Complexities:

Repatriation is a complex process involving legal, ethical, and logistical challenges. Determining rightful ownership and ensuring proper care and preservation upon return are critical considerations. Additionally, questions arise about how to address the legacy of colonialism and rectify historical injustices.

The Way Forward:

The debate over repatriation is ongoing and highlights the need for respectful dialogue and cooperation between nations. While the return of looted artifacts is an essential step, it should also be part of broader efforts to promote cultural understanding, collaboration, and acknowledgment of historical wrongs.

The issue of Britain returning looted artifacts to Africa is part of a global conversation about justice, cultural heritage, and historical responsibility. While there are complexities to navigate, the growing recognition of the importance of repatriation signifies a potential path forward towards reconciliation and healing between nations and their shared history. The ongoing discussions reflect a commitment to addressing past injustices and fostering a more inclusive and culturally rich future.

They condemn slave trades yet they’re still with our treasures and cultural artifacts and heritage

#life #animals #culture #aesthetic #black history #blm blacklivesmatter #anime and manga #architecture #black community #history #blacklivesmatter #black heritage #heritage

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